


Uncharted Waters

by rachelladeville



Series: Uncharted Waters [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Absolutely no Dean/Amara - yuk, Amara's in the fic but she has no romantic interest in Dean, Blow Jobs, Bonded Pairs, Bottom Cas, Bottom Dean, Coming Out, Creature Fic, Did I mention gay sex? Yeah. Loads of that., Dirty Dreams, Exhibitionism, F/F, F/M, Fantasizing, Fantasy, Friends to Lovers, Gay Sex, Group Sex, M/M, Marathon Sex, Masturbation, Mated pairs, Mates for life, Mating Cycles, Mating Rituals, Mermaids, Merman Castiel, Merman Dean, Mermen, Mild Angst, Multi, Oral Sex, Orgies, Rimming, Ritual Public Sex, Switching, Top Cas, Top Dean, mermaid destiel, mutual masterbation, sexual expiramentation, some het sex, some rough sex, voyerism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-13 17:50:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 46,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9134716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelladeville/pseuds/rachelladeville
Summary: Dean and Cas are the best of friends, mermen coming of age together. As they transition into adulthood, Dean becomes increasingly aware that he's different from all the others of his kind. Hiding what he is from everyone is a challenge, but through it all, Castiel remains faithfully by his side. That is, until Dean looks over and sees his friend tangled in a net and being dragged towards a place that no one has ever come back from... the surface.





	1. The Waking

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to MoniJune for editing this work, it will be much better with you helping!
> 
> This work is on hiatus for a bit. The story is all plotted out and will eventually be finished, but I've just not been working on it lately so I figured it was time to acknowledge my procrastination..

 

 

Dean was floating softly, his mind wandering from one idle thing to the next. He’d given up any hope of actually sleeping. But, with his parents both resting a short distance away, he had no choice but to remain silent and still.

For this entire sleep cycle, he’d occupied himself by allowing his mind to conjure images for him and these imaginings had hovered primarily around one recurring theme. When his thoughts would wander to other things, his excitement would fade and he’d begin to doze off. But then, inevitably, just as sleep was about to take him peacefully under, his mind would shift back to that one predominant thought. Lit up with anticipation, and he’d snap awake again as a pulse of excitement surged from head to fin.

_I’m getting a brother._

It was difficult to decide which was more enticing to him… getting to _have_ a brother or getting to actually _be_ a brother. He’d been told this news at the worst possible time too; right before it was time to sleep. How could he possibly sleep now? What he really wanted to do was swim off to his friends and tell them all.

Time had never moved so slowly before. When Dean finally noticed a change in the water, it was minuscule. He wouldn’t have noticed it if he’d been sleeping. But he could feel it; a slight change in the pressure and a subtle shift in the way it felt on his skin and scales. To confirm his suspicion that the new waking cycle was upon them, Dean strained to listen carefully.

Yes. He could hear it. It was distant, but it was there. The slight sound and vibration reached his ears and skin almost simultaneously. A short moment later, his scales could feel it too: a song. The music of it becoming clearer as the source grew closer. A Singer.

Each change in cycle was greeted by Singers, the time between high tides used for either waking and working or relaxing and sleeping. The merfolk who chose to become Singers as their life’s work were very sensitive to the waters around them, and they cultivated their senses as part of their training. The Singers were the internal time clock of all society.

In shallow water, the changes that occurred as the high tide swelled or receded were obvious. Here, in the deep water, it was barely discernable. That’s why their society needed the Singers, who felt the change and then swam through the community, announcing the arrival of a new cycle, with a song that all could hear. Singers also, because of their sensitivity to their environment, were an asset to the Watchers who vigilantly patrolled the waters of their Community for any sign of danger.

Like all professions of merfolk, there was no designated number of Singers. Those who felt the predisposition chose this as their profession when they entered were grown and traded their status of “Learner” for that of a worker. Sometimes there were several Singers and sometimes there was only one. The Singer approaching now was Bobby. Dean recognized his voice and, hearing it, he rose quickly. Surging through the water in their little cave he headed towards the area where his parents were sleeping, arching his back and grabbing hold of his fin as he rounded the corner. With his body pulled into a tight circle, the momentum of his swim stroke was channeled into a graceful loop over his parents who were also starting to wake.  

“It’s waking time!” he cried exuberantly. “It’s waking! It’s waking!”

His father’s strong arm encircled his lifelong mate whose blonde hair fanned out about them, rolling gently on the faint undulations in the water. Dean waited expectantly as they rose from their slumber, both stretching and then coming to face one another for a kiss.

“Ewww” he groaned as he averted his eyes.

“So you say now,” John teased as he turned his tail and swam up to Dean. “Your time will come, son.”

“Gross, Dad,” Dean muttered with distaste. Just as they were all rising, Bobby the Singer moved past the mouth of their cave. The crescendo of his song indicated his passing. Bobby’s voice was the most familiar to Dean of all the Singers because his father and Bobby were the best of friends. In fact, Bobby was more of an uncle to Dean than anything else. This wasn’t something they acknowledged out loud, it was more of an undercurrent that Dean could feel.

Bobby’s mate had died a long time ago. Prior to her death, she’d never successfully given birth. So, Bobby had never had any children of his own. That made him especially fond of his honorary nephew, and he often did things with Dean that his own father didn’t seem interested in.

After all, Dean’s father was a Hunter - one of the brave souls that departed the quasi-safe environment within their society to procure food and bring it back. John had begun passing his knowledge on to Dean while he was still a Fledgling.

When John spent time with his son, it was usually in the form of tutelage. But with Uncle Bobby, Dean was free to indulge in things he actually _wanted_ to do. Yes, he put on a good show of being interested in John’s lessons because he’s a good son. But with Bobby, he was more free to be himself.

Bobby knew that Dean loved exploring and would often indulge this activity… taking Dean to see things he was curious about and playing the kind of fun games that John always joked were a waste of time. As Bobby’s song began to grow quieter, Dean and his parents did what merfolk always do. They followed. The three swam together toward the song, Dean gliding along between his parents. As they emerged from their cave, others were exiting their resting places as well. With his song, Bobby was announcing the beginning of a new wake cycle so they all followed along behind him, their numbers growing as they got closer and closer to their destination… the Meeting Place. Some of them, mostly younger ones, spiraled playfully in their excitement while the rest just swam steadily along, joining in the song.

Dean, recently having transitioned from Fledgling to Learner, was giddy with excitement to spread his news. As he spun gleefully in the water, his mother seemed to share his enthusiasm, spinning with him and wearing the widest smile he’d seen in some time.

As the group converged on the meeting area, Bobby led the procession into a circling pattern. The group churned there, singing together as their cyclone of activity began to move the waters around them. Bubbles fizzed upward, obscuring vision but heightening the excitement.

When their leader emerged to join, she moved to the center of the maelstrom and floated, still and perfect. Her tail fin swirled easily to hold her body in position, and she was still despite the commotion around her. As she waited, the group began to slow. The song continued as they all gracefully sank to the bottom and settled into the soft sediment together. All eyes were on their leader, Amara, who addressed them as her subjects.

“Greetings to you all upon the waking,” she began.

Dean settled in between his parents, looking around to see if any of his friends were near enough that he might see their faces. The only one in range was Charlie. She was a mermaid, but somehow still cool. She was the only girl that he’d deemed worthy to play with. The rest he’d found to be irritating. Seeing that her inquisitive eyes had found him, Dean managed a wave and a wink. He wanted her to know he had news, and this was the best he could do from so far away.

Every wake cycle began like this… the Singer would wake them and lead them here. Amara would speak. Then they would eat. Then they would sing the parting song. Finally, after the gathering, they would break off into smaller groups for work.

As a Fledgling, Dean had spent the waking cycles with his mother. She took care of him with the assistance of the Attendants and she taught him things… basic things. Things that all merfolk should know. But now he was bigger and had the excitement of swimming off with a school of his peers while the adults were working.

Being a Learner was still new and exciting. He was one of the youngest, but he’d made lots of friends so far and enjoyed his new role in society.

When a Singer would pass at the end of the work cycle, they’d all follow. The Singer would swim to all the locations where work was being done, collecting the merfolk. They would all follow him until he passed by their resting place, their home. That’s where each family would converge for the resting cycle. They’d eat a meal together, have some time to themselves or to socialize with others, and then sleep.

Not all merfolk followed this pattern, but most did. The exception were those whose work involved serving or guarding. Some attendants, for example, rotated their sleep and wake cycles in opposition to the group. That was necessary. After all, what good is it to have a bunch of Attendants if none is available for problems that come up during the resting cycle? Or worse yet, if there were no Guardians to watch over them all as they slept?

Dean sat in the soft sediment and waited for Amara to stop droning on about mundane things. His eyes wandered over the others gathered for the meeting, and eventually dropped to the sea floor. Bored out of his mind, he watched a sea cucumber eat and poop its way along a meandering path.

When he heard his mother’s name spoken, Deans attention snapped back to the meeting. Amara had taken a break in the monotonous prattle of adult things, to make an announcement that Dean actually cared about. Yes! This was it!

“... Mary…” Amara said to the group, “… mate of John, daughter of the deceased Samuel and Deanna, has conceived…”

Having heard this, Dean’s eyes returned to Charlie in time to see her jaw drop open. She looked back at him, wiggling with excitement, and motioned to him with her hand. The entire group was thrilled and a cheer swelled. Looking to his mother then, Dean saw his father proudly wrap an arm around her. Mary’s smile was demure, likely a bit embarrassed by the attention.

For Dean’s mother, Mary, the news of her successful conception marked her as blessed and lucky. Most mermaids, though they may try, only conceived a few times in their life. And, sadly, most would lose more offspring than they ushered into adulthood. Predators, illnesses, environmental changes, and other lurking threats mean a hard life for merfolk. So, yes, for Mary this was big news. For Dean’s father, John, this was truly something to brag about. And for Dean, the promise of a brother was the greatest gift he could imagine. He planned to be the best big brother anyone had ever had.

“…this last mating cycle,” Amara was saying, “was the most successful we’ve had in a very long time. Let us all do whatever we can to assist all those blessed with conception. Now, unless anyone has something else to add, this gathering will be ended.”

Dean looked around, hopeful that no one would chime in with anything else to discuss. He was eager to swim off with his friends where everyone would want to congratulate him on becoming a big brother.

After the singing of the parting song, when everyone began to disperse, he looked around for his Teachers. Belatedly, he was struck by another implication of his mother’s new conception. She’d not be going to work today.

Women, like men, chose a profession and worked it all their lives. Upon transitioning into adulthood, Mary had chosen to be a Builder. However, when she’d become pregnant with Dean, her work had immediately stopped. No one worked when they were with child; they did nothing but prepare, taking every precaution not to endanger their pregnancy.

While Anticipating, mermaids joined the Attendants who moved through the community and tended to merfolk. The purpose of this was to keep the pregnant maidens in close proximity to those who could help them if needed. A side benefit of this arrangement was that as the Anticipating mermaids joined the Attendants in their daily routine, they’d be able to watch and learn. They’d assist in caring for mermaids who’d just given birth. They’d also assist with Fledglings – both Sucklings and Weanlings. Spending time with the Attendants gave those who were Anticipating a chance to practice the skills they’d soon be needing when their own children were born.

As he swam away from his mom, Dean realized that she’d been away from her work for a long time. From the moment she’d found out that he was in her belly, she’d been with the Attendants instead of at her job. Once she’d had Dean, she’d stayed with him while everyone else was working. He had been her job then. The Attendants had come to check on them often, and help when needed, but it had been just the two of them most of the time. When Dean had finally transitioned from Fledgling to Learner, he’d been very excited. Mary had been too. She’d been quite vocal about how thrilled she was to be going back to her work as Builder.

Thinking of this, he wondered if she was a bit sad to be giving up her work again – and so soon. But when he remembered the smiles she’d been wearing since announcing her news, he let the thought drop. If it was a sacrifice for her to be away from her work, she clearly didn’t mind.

As expected, Dean’s schoolmates were thrilled for him. Everyone he passed was cheering for him. He received many “reach n slaps,” which were the universal sign of accomplishment - two merfolk reaching toward each other to slap the palms of their hands together as they swam past one another. But, despite his newfound fame, Dean’s eyes were searching the waters for one particular merman. Castiel.

Castiel was his very best friend. Their mothers had spent quite a bit of time together when he and Cas were both Weanlings. They’d basically grown up together. When he finally glimpsed his friend, he swam up beside him with a proud smile.      

“You heard?” he asked.

“How could I not? You’re a legend.”

“I’m gonna be the best big brother there’s ever been!”

“Of course you will, Dean.”

“Are we going back to The Boneyard?” he asked Cas as they swam along behind their Teacher.

“Not sure,” he answered. “But I heard a rumor that we’re going to The Crevice.”

“No way!” Dean sputtered, shocked that he’d not heard of this.

“Maybe,” replied Cas hopefully, “anyplace but The Boneyard is fine with me. It’s getting boring.

“Hey,” Dean barked, “don’t dis The Boneyard, man, my mom works there.”

“That doesn’t make it any less boring, Dean.”

The two swam together within the group, watching for familiar sights as they went and trying to use familiar sights as markers to predict where they were headed. So far, The Boneyard was the only location the school had visited since he and Cas joined. It was indeed where Mary worked. The Builders congregated at the Boneyard every waking cycle. They worked constantly to take the bones and bits of uneaten food and recycle it into new formations. Boneyard workers, known as Builders, had a multitude of different duties divided between them. Some transported materials while others sorted. Some broke big bones into small pieces while others ground small pieces into a fine pulp. Some jobs were performed alone and others were completed by small groups. The builders rotated through jobs, changing often to keep from getting bored.

The most exciting part of the job, as far as Dean was concerned, was when the Builders departed The Boneyard and carried their materials out to Gardens. Gardens were simply areas that the Explorers had deemed appropriate as places to start a reef. The conditions had to be just right… and when builders took the bone pieces, protein paste and other materials to a garden location, they worked to exact specifications – the knowledge of which was passed on from elder to youngster via school. Each time school was taught at the Boneyard, the students learned the details of the work and practiced the parts that were deemed safe for young Learners.

After a period of learning and working at one location, like the Boneyard, the school would move on to another location. If the rumor was true… Dean’s current excitement would be doubled because not only was he about to be a big brother, but their school would also be going to a new place. And, if that new location proved to be The Crevice? This wake cycle would be thrilling indeed.

The Crevice, after all, was merfolk prison. It was a dreadful place and tales of its occupants made for the scariest of stories.

As they passed by the big round rock, Dean looked over at Cas, and they deflated together. Nope. They were headed back to the Boneyard. Both of them, having lost their enthusiasm, slowed their pace and soon found themselves near the back of the school.

“Pick up the pace, boys,” said Michael, urging them not to fall behind.

Michael was the Rear Teacher. While the Front Teacher, Jody, was concerned with teaching and leading, the rear Teacher, Michael, was primarily in charge of order and discipline. He kept to the back of the school as they swam and made sure everyone stayed together and that all attention was focused on Jody.

Swimming just fast enough to keep from being scolded, Dean and Cas talked of what life would be like if Dean’s mother actually made it to term, and delivered him a baby brother. Cas, having lost his father a long time ago, was an only child. It was just him and his mom in the family, and he wished for a brother every bit as much as Dean. Dean hoped he’d get one too. If anyone deserved a brother it was Cas.

After the recent mating cycle Cas’ hopes had been bolstered. But with the passage of so many cycles and no announcement from his mother, Cas had started losing hope. Dean was hopeful that perhaps his news would show his friend that there was still time for a miracle.

When they reached The Boneyard, everyone settled to the ocean floor much like they had at the meeting. Michael swam slowly and purposefully around the group, minding their behavior, as Jody answered questions from the group regarding the things they’d done during the previous cycle and then began assigning each Learner to a Boneyard worker.

Dean wound up with an Elder. Elders were just that… old. Their prime years had come and gone. They were revered within society for their knowledge and experience as well as for the uncommon accomplishment of having reached old age. Elders still worked, despite being too old for hard labor. After all, what else would one do with all their time? But at work, the Elders were primarily gave advice and helped solve problems. When they did engage in manual labor, they spent their time doing whatever task they felt like doing and took breaks whenever they wanted to.

When finding himself paired with an Elder, Dean rolled his eyes. It didn’t matter to him how revered someone was. The long and the short of it was that he’d be stuck in a low activity level for the duration of this cycle. He followed the old merman off toward the edge of the sorting station and waited, faking patience, as his Elder talked to the coordinator of the sorting efforts. While he waited, his eyes wandered the area and took note of which jobs his friends were doing. The sorting area was on the edge of the Boneyard so there were Guardians swimming past occasionally. As he watched them, for lack of anything better to do, Dean began to notice the rhythm of their coordinated patterns.

Guardians have one of the most dangerous, and thus exciting, jobs that merfolk can have. They literally guard the citizens. The Boneyard was probably not the most challenging detail a Guardian could have; it’s not like sharks prowled the area looking for meat. No. In this area, any blood had long ago dissipated or been ingested. The threat of predators was minimal here.

Honestly, the biggest problem seemed to be the scavengers like snails, urchins, and starfish. These creatures were constantly encroaching only to be picked up and hurled away. Cleaner fish were chased off too because the proteins in the paste made here would seed new reef gardens that would eventually become hunting grounds for food. It wouldn’t do to have it all gobbled up by scavengers when those creatures could easily feed on other proteins along the sea floor.

Twice, as Dean’s mind wandered off with him, he was thumped on the head by his Elder who insisted on Dean paying attention to the adult conversation, even though it was dull and meaningless to him.

“Who do you have?” Cas asked when he and his friends gathered together over playbreak.

“Some dude named Rufus. Says he knows Bobby. He’s a total dick, man.”

“Why?”

“He keeps thumpin’ me,” grumbled Dean. “Who’d you get?”

“Cain. He’s incredible. He’s got so many stories… I’m actually having fun.”

“Whats he gotcha doin?”

“We’re breaking bones. It’s boring work, but his stories are so good that I don’t mind it at all.”

“Who’s that?” Dean wondered, his attention drifting towards a loud voice nearby.

“That’s Benny,” Cole answered, as they all watched the hulking merman for a moment.

Cole was a new friend they’d made recently. He seemed to know everyone but had no real friends of his own.

“Benny?” Dean repeated questioningly.

“Yeah, the most popular guy in school. All the maids wanna get with him.”

“Eww,” groaned Dean and Cas in unison.

“What?”

“Mermaids,” answered Dean. “Ewww.”

“Aw c’mon,” Cole retorted. “What’re you guys… Fledglings? Mermaids are only gross to babies. The rest of us… we’re waitin’ for matin’.”

“Waitin’ for matin’?” Cas parroted with a curious expression.

“Yeah man,” their friend nodded sagely, “Waiting for mating… when we’re old enough to be in the mating cycle.

Dean watched Cole’s eyes move over to a neighboring group of mermaids all clustered together.

“I’m gonna get me some of that,” Cole said wistfully.

“Oh yeah,” Dean added quickly, “Me too, man. I was just kiddin’. I’m gonna get me some too.”

The rest of the work cycle passed slowly, only one other break to interrupt the monotony. Again, he and Cas hung with Cole. The boy was a little older and they picked his brain for answers to their questions, now that they’d seen how knowledgeable he was.

Having been told that mermaids are desirable and that the mating cycle was something to look forward to, Dean found himself looking at the girls differently. He didn’t see anything desirable yet. But based on how Cole talked, he figured he probably would when he got older. For now, his mind wasn’t preoccupied with visions of mating and maidens. It was full of the grand adventures he planned on having with his friend and visions of being an amazing older brother.

When the Singer came by to lead them all away from work and towards their resting and leisure time, Dean and Cas fell in behind him and swam side by side all the way home. As they parted, Dean put what he hoped was a reassuring hand on Cas’ shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” he said firmly, “you’ll be a brother soon too. You deserve it.”

Cas had given him a solitary nod, his wide eyes full of hope. It was heartbreaking to watch that hope fade away as more and more sleep cycles passed without an announcement from Cas’ mother. Since her mate was dead, the mating cycle was her only chance to conceive. That meant it would be a very long time before there was any chance of Cas becoming a big brother.

Mating cycles, like all other cycles, were timed by the sea. The exodus of the dolphin pods was the end of it and their return, countless cycles later, would be the signal for a new one to start. So, until the return of the dolphins, Cas would remain brotherless.

The good news was, their time at the Boneyard soon ended. It was very exciting to find their school swimming off to a new location. All the way there, Dean’s pulse was racing. The others were anticipatory too – spinning and bending and twisting in the water as they made their way to the new site together. Everyone was hoping that the rumors would be true and their next learning experiences would be happening at The Crevice.

It was disappointing to arrive at The Dead Garden instead. The Dead Garden was just that. Dead. Dull. Lifeless. At one time it had been glorious garden reef, convenient because it was so close to their home. But like all things, it had eventually died. Those that inhabited it had moved on and nothing was left of it now; just the shell of what had been vibrant and beautiful a generation ago.

Now, The Dead Garden served another purpose. It was the central hub of the government. The Leadership, those whose work was to coordinate with Amara in the ruling of the merfolk, worked here. Amara’s resting place was here too, or so it was said. No one outside of Leadership and a few guards had actually seen her resting place, but it was said to be a giant oyster shell that was no longer living.

Amara considered herself to be a seeker of solitude, and she prized herself on having kept her people safe for far longer than any other ruler. Their group had not been wiped out – not even once – for the entirety of her rule. Her way was to stay clear of the warm areas that were illuminated and decree that her people all do the same. The only exceptions were the brave Hunters and Explorers who ventured out away from the group in search of food and new gardens.

The Dead Garden was apart from the rest of the community and devoid of non-essential merfolk. It was dark and quiet, just how she liked it. It was here that her Leadership staff gathered with each waking cycle to facilitate the governing efforts. Dean had thought the Boneyard was boring. That was before this. With each new waking cycle he tried with a renewed effort to pay attention to the Teacher as she talked about the intricacies of maintaining order for their kingdom, the different roles that various Leaders played, and the rituals behind Leadership and Ruler selection. Before even their first playbreak each cycle, he had lost is his will to learn and succumbed to letting his mind wander where it wanted.

As his Teacher droned on and his fellow students asked questions, Dean was five worlds away. He was swimming out into open waters… bravely battling predators… seeing new sights and finding brilliant treasures with his best friend at his side.

Each resting cycle, Dean would swim back to his cavern. He’d eat a meal with his family and note his mother’s belly, which seemed to swell bigger with each cycle. Between the meal and sleep, there was free time and, most often, Dean’s free time was spent playing with his friends.

A favorite game among Dean, Cas, and their friends was Critter Catch. To play it, they had to keep out of sight from the grownups because it was forbidden. Critter Catch was a fun game where the boys (and sometimes Charlie) would choose a large spiny-backed lobster to harass. They’d swim circles around it, taking turns trying to sneak stealthily up behind it so they could grab hold.

Now, lobsters in general are not a good sport regarding this game. Their claws are sharp and strong. When someone reaches out to grab them, they like to spin around and clamp their claws down on the offending hand. But then, that’s half the fun.

The idea is (obviously) to avoid getting pinched and retrieve the lobster. The winner is the successful merman who gets to the swim around brandishing his newly acquired weapon, chasing his friends about with the pinchers of his angry lobster.

Sadly, turnabout is fair play. At some point, the lobster will jostle free. Or, the winner will be called home and have to put the animal down. At this point, sir lobster has his chance to exact revenge. This is always fun to watch. So, the best moment of the game was when Cas’ mother called him home. He looked back and forth between his friends, brow furrowed as he contemplated the best method to drop his lobster.

Cas’ exit was not set to the dignified cheers of a winner. Nope. As Cas released his lobster and spun away, it clamped firmly onto his tail fin. The crustacean was difficult to remove, with Cas screaming and flopping around in the water. But eventually Dean and the others did manage to free him from its iron grip. Red-faced and cursing, Cas swam home to his mother and left his friends to continue the game.

As Cas swam away, the angry lobster found its way to the sea floor and marched away. Backwards. With his claws poised in warning.

Once Cas was gone, Dean pulled his friends in closer and explained to them that Cas had been bummed out lately. Another mating cycle had come and gone without any chance of the baby brother that Cas so desperately wanted to have. The group understood immediately. Apparently, Dean wasn’t the only one who had noticed that Cas’ wide eyes had seemed sad recently, and that he was smiling even less than usual.

“I’ve got an idea to cheer him up,” announced Dean.

“Awesome,” grinned Ash, a long time playmate, “Whatcha gonna do?”

“We,” corrected Dean. “We, are gonna skip school.”

“Now you’re talkin,” enthused Cole.

“I’m sooo in,” purred Crowley, always happy to be involved in anything that broke rules.

“I don’t know,” said Garth with a cautious expression, “it depends on where you want to go.”

“Well, he’s been dying to see the Crevice. We all have. And clearly we’re not going there anytime soon. Let’s sneak away after the meeting and head over there.”

“I don’t know if I’m down for that, Dean,” Garth replied.

“Yeah,” added Cole, “maybe if we’re gonna skip school, we should go somewhere that isn’t guarded by Punishers.”

“I heard that the Punishers do awful things to the prisoners. I’m not sure seeing that would cheer up Cas,” Garth added.

Dean nodded in agreement. “Yeah,” he conceded, “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Let’s go to a light place,” Ash enthused. “Take him to a garden. Lots of warm water and colorful fish… we can take some maids along… maybe I’ll get lucky.”

“It doesn’t matter who you bring Ash, the luckiest you’ll get is to find a confused sucker fish,” laughed Crowley.

“So,” Dean pressed, “which garden? The big one?”

“Sure, Dean,” Cole replied in a condescending tone. “We’ll skip school and then go to the one place where we’re sure to see adults.”

“The only ones who might be at the big garden are Hunters. My dad’s a Hunter. He says they’ve just found a new garden and will be going back there for a while. I bet we could hang out at the big garden a bunch of times and not see anyone.”

“If you say so,” Cole agreed begrudgingly. “Now, which maids are we bringing?”

Hearing the question, Dean’s mind shot to the only girl he ever thought of. Charlie. He said her name to the group and figured he’d swim by her place on the way home to invite her. As he was thinking it, the others were tossing out the names of maidens they wanted to invite.

“No,” Dean interrupted when Cole mentioned Lydia, “anyone but her.”

“Why? She’s the hottest mermaid in the sea!”

“She’s mean as a damn eel,” Dean responded. “Don’t mate with her; she’ll probably eat her young.”

Cole opened his mouth to argue and Dean cut him off. “No way. This is my thing. She ain't comin. Pick someone else.”

“Well, if I can’t have the hottest, I’ll settle for the easiest,” he joked.

“Who’s that?” Dean asked, honestly wondering.

“I don’t know, I was hoping you could tell me,” he joked back.

The group disbanded with laughter and a plan that at the waking they’d go to the meeting but discreetly avoid the Teacher afterwards.  Each would sneak off and they’d all meet up at the big round rock. No one would notice them behind it, and the school would not be passing by there, now that they were spending their time at the Dead Garden instead of the Boneyard.

On his way back to his cavern, Dean stopped off at Charlie's. Charlie had no surviving parents, so she lived with her Aunt in a niche not too far from Dean’s cave.  When he asked if she could come out, he was told not to go far because it was almost time for sleep.

Needing only to speak with her briefly, he pulled her by the hand toward a nearby cluster of rocks. They slowly swam circles around it as they chatted and, as expected, she was emphatically supportive of skipping school. Clearly if you had to be friends with a maid, she was the best one… always looking for an adventure, much like Dean.

Back at his resting place, Dean watched as his parents settled in together for sleep. John was cradling Mary lovingly with one hand resting on her swollen middle.

“Sleep tight, little one,” John whispered to the bump. Then he looked at Dean and said, “You too, big man, sleep well.”

 

 

 

 

 


	2. The Suckling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks MoniJune for editing my mess and making it readable!!!

 

When the song of a Singer gently pulled Dean from slumber, he stretched lazily in the soft sand. Then, as his mind began to clear from the grogginess of sleep, he began to remember his plans. A strange mixture of fear and anticipation seemed to be fighting for dominance in his stomach, neither able to completely snuff out the other.

He worked hard to act normal around his parents. The last thing he needed was for them to start watching him more closely because they’d noticed him fretting. As his community converged on the meeting place and began to school there, churning the water, Dean caught a glimpse of Ash. His friend winked at him conspiratorially. Emboldened, Dean sought out Cas and steered his mother over near his friend. When Amara appeared in their midst, the group calmed and began to drift down to the sea floor.

As usual, the meeting began and ended in song. Dean didn’t mind this. In fact, he rather liked the singing. It was the long stretches of monotonous discussion between songs that he hated. When the time came to part from his parents, Dean went straight to Cas.

“Keep quiet and follow me,” he instructed as he pulled his friend off in the opposite direction of the Teachers.

“Where are we going?” Cas demanded as he was led away from the others.

“Don’t talk,” Dean chastised. “Just swim.”

Cas was silent beside him as Dean looked over his shoulder at the group, scanning the nearest bodies to see if anyone had noticed them slipping away.

“Clean getaway,” he muttered, extending his hand towards Cas for a reach-n-slap.

“Get away from what?” Cas asked, returning Dean’s palm clap in celebration, even though he had no idea what was going on.

“From adults,” Dean laughed. “I’m taking you on an adventure.”

“Alone?” Cas murmured softly, his face starting to show traces of worry.

“Definitely not,” he replied heartily, allowing himself to be louder now that they’d put some distance between themselves and the others.

“Um, I feel pretty alone, Dean.”

As it was said, Dean felt a chill spread out over the surface of his skin. Cas was right. A few moments of separation from the group and already they were in dark water with no other merfolk in sight. The feeling of vulnerability grew stronger with each breath. His gills quivered.

There were no Guardians here… no one stationed nearby to protect them. In fact, no one even knew where they were. They could be gobbled up and no one would ever even know what had happened to them.

There was a reason that merfolk traveled in groups. Suddenly Dean was seized by the recklessness of his actions.

“We’re fine,” he boasted confidently, not wanting his friend to see his fear.

“Where are we going?”

“The big, round rock.”

“What for?”

“That’s where we’re meetin’ everybody,” he answered, working to sound brave and strong while trying to keep as quiet as possible to avoid drawing the attention of predators.

“So, who’s coming with us on this adventure?”

“Well, Charlie’s gonna be there,” he said, taking courage from the thought that right now, a mermaid was out away from the group alone too. If she was brave enough to do it – then so was he.

“And Cole’s coming. He’s bringing some maidens, I guess. Garth and Ash are coming too. And Crowley.”

Cas seemed to be bolstered by the mention of others coming to meet them. When they finally approached the big round rock, Dean felt a surge of relief.

“We made it,” he announced. As they approached, Dean saw Crowley perched on top. He was wearing a proud grin as a mermaid swam in gentle circles around him. Dean had seen the maid before, but didn’t know her name.

“Well, well,” Crowley teased, “look who finally showed. I thought you two would guppy out.”

“You wish,” Dean shot back. “This whole thing was my idea.”

“Well,” purred the dark-haired girl, “Now that the rest of the party is here, I guess it’s time to hold hands and take a swim together.”

Something about her tone rubbed Dean the wrong way, and he didn’t like the way she was looking at Cas.

“I’m Meg, by the way.”

“You’re trouble is what you are,” Crowley said flirtatiously as he slithered up alongside her. “That’s why you’re here.”

Dean glanced around and saw both Ash and Garth nearby, chucking starfish to see who could toss them farther.

“Where’s Cole?” he asked Crowley.

“Big. Ass. Guppy.”

“Not coming at all?”

“Nope.”

“Wow, I never thought he’d be the one to turn tail on us.”

Just then, Charlie whooshed by. A trail of bubbles fizzed in her wake and as she turned to circle their little group, Dean saw another maiden flanking her.

“What’s up, bitches,” she greeted as she slowed. “I brought my bestie.”

Dean knew Gilda. She was well known at school, one of the most popular maidens. Unable to find a response that didn’t leave him sounding like a stupid sea slug, he opted for simply nodding an acknowledgement and asking if everyone was ready to go.

The swim to the Big Garden was much longer than the one he and Cas had made to reach the big round rock. But, with their numbers increased, it was far less nerve-wracking. They chattered idly as they covered the distance, mostly talking about what they’d see and do when they reached their destination. Dean and Crowley were the only ones who had ever been there, but it wasn’t hard to find. It was almost a straight line, the water growing steadily more shallow as they progressed.

As they neared the Big Garden, the pressure gradually tapered off. Dean could feel the effect it was having on him. He felt lighter. Stronger. He was able to swim faster, corner more sharply. Everyone else must’ve been feeling it too. The maidens especially; they were practically dancing through the water, looping and spinning gracefully.

The heavy, dark waters of home had morphed into hazy blue water that grew warmer and warmer. To their side, a large school of parrot fish seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The multitude engulfed them and when Dean glanced over at Cas, he was grinning ear to ear.

_Yes. That’s what this was all about… putting a smile on Cas’ face._

Nearby, the laughter of maidens rang out and Dean followed the sound in time to see Charlie and Gilda grasp each other tightly, each grabbing hold of the other’s fin with their hands. Doing so locked them into a circle that spun from their momentum. The iridescent fish darted around the obstruction, and the result was beautiful chaos that lasted only a moment. In one unified movement, the entire school of fish darted right, then left, then right again and swam away.

The friends continued on, seeing several other schools of fish as they drew nearer to the Big Garden. They could see the ocean floor now, dappled with the glow of illumination from above. There were patches of grass here, billowing as the water moved in undulating patterns. Life stirred around them; crabs moving through the grasses, fish darting this way and that.

“It’s incredible,” Charlie breathed from beside him. He hadn’t even known she was there. He’d been looking at Cas. Here, in the light, he could see Cas like he never had before. He’d always seen his friend through a murky haze that was largely devoid of color. Now he saw a glittering blue tail. It was trimmed in black, his tail fan wide and magnificent as it propelled him through the water. The shock of dark hair on Cas’ head matched the pitch black edging on his tail perfectly.

“It is,” he answered, finally tearing his eyes from his friend and pulling up short to check out his own tail. He’d never really stopped to wonder what his own tail looked like before, but now that he had, he indulged himself with inspecting every inch. His was green, outlined in a muted gold color. It was quite nice, he thought, but not near as intriguing to look at as Cas’ was. He was almost a little jealous, his eyes wandering back to his friend’s tail often as coral began to rise up around them.

This was it. They were here. The place was even more magical than he remembered it… vibrant and teeming with life. It almost took his breath away.

“It’s so warm here!” Charlie exclaimed. “I love it!”

Dean smiled indulgently at her, watching as she raced to Gilda’s side and grabbed her friend by the hand. The two of them shot out in front, Charlie’s red hair sparkling as it moved through shafts of warm light. Ash and Garth were more rowdy, racing from one thing to the next and harassing shellfish along the way.

Glancing behind him, Dean saw Crowley and Meg swimming side by side. A huge barracuda had somehow joined their group. He’d not even noticed it, and now it was pacing them. Probably curious. Despite having the size advantage, Dean found himself unnerved by its presence. His eyes kept coming back to those sharp teeth again and again. 

No one talked about staying together, but they did. It was just in their nature to do so. They spent quite a bit of time navigating the Big Garden, enjoying the sea life around them as well as the scenery here. Every color Dean had ever learned was displayed here, and it all glistened in the light. Dean never wanted to go home.

When hunger set in, the boys set out to get some lunch. Since Dean’s father was a Hunter, everyone seemed to expect him to provide expertise. But rounding up food for their large party took more effort than expected. They had no net, and their initial attempts at catching crabs were unsuccessful.

Most of the crabs here were goofy looking… one claw larger than the other and walking funny because of it. But they were surprisingly difficult to catch despite their awkward movements.

When they finally caught one, they couldn’t figure out how to kill it. All they’d ever done with lobsters and crabs was make a game of catching them – killing them for food was quite different. They abandoned the task quickly in favor of catching a fish. There were several small tuna around, and that became the second choice. Even a small tuna would easily feed them all.

Crowley wouldn’t help, swimming off alone with Meg, but everyone else put in the effort to secure a yellowfin tuna. The girls turned their backs when the poor fish was killed. Dean couldn’t blame them, it was harder than he’d expected it to be. It wasn’t like the fish settled on the bottom and held still while he waited for the end to come. He fought. He flopped. He nearly got away twice. But in the end, they were able to use a sharp rock to kill him quickly and humanely.

The girls seemed impressed by their ability to provide a meal, regardless of how long it had taken them to do it. They didn’t have long to enjoy it either. Reef sharks were pressing in on them in no time. They weren’t big and scary like the monsters in the deep water, but they were fast and confident. They swam up aggressively and snapped bites with no regard for the fingers of merfolk. Before long, the friends were forced to abandon their kill and let the sharks finish it off.

Gilda turned out to be quite fun. She and Charlie instigated a game of hide and seek shortly after they’d eaten their meal. Sadly, that’s when Cas found the stinging fire coral. Dean turned a blind corner and came upon his friend, cursing and thrashing.

“What’s wrong Cas?”

“That yellow stuff,” Cas stuttered, “it burns when you touch it.”

Dean reached for his friends hand, turned the palm over in his own and examined it. Sure enough, the skin was mottled with red splotches. He looked closely and with the aid of better lighting than he was used to, Dean was able to spot several tiny little spikes embedded there. They were the size of hairs, fine and wispy. Sadly, even when they were removed, Cas said the pain didn’t lessen.

“I think we need to head back,” Dean said, not entirely sure how they’d explain this to the Attendants.

“No Dean, we can stay,” Cas responded.

“No way,” Charlie barked. “You need to have that looked at.”

“Dean looked at it,” Cas argued.

“Let me see,” Charlie said smoothly, swimming up to them. “Someone needs to pee on it,” she told them calmly.

Cas’ jaw dropped. “What?”

“It’s not just for jellyfish,” she replied, “My aunt is an Attendant. Pee works for both fire coral stings and jellyfish stings.”

“Well, then,” responded Cas dutifully, “Someone pee on me. This hurts like hell.”

Dean thought nothing of doing it, but felt a tinge of stage fright as his hand slid over his scales and found the small lump underneath. “Turn around,” he barked at his friends.

“No way,” Crowley chuckled darkly.

“Yeah,” Ash added with a nod, “just do it. No way we’re gonna miss this.”

At least Charlie and Gilda had the decency not to stare. Meg, however, leered alongside Crowley and watched with the rest of his group as Dean begrudgingly slid his hand along the indiscernible slit in his tail and let his fingers slide inside. He’d never had to do this with an audience before. Turning his body to shield himself from their view as best he could, Dean wrapped his fingers around his dick and pulled it out of its little hiding place. The water was warmer on it than he was used to, and he was surprised to find himself half chubby as he maneuvered his penis over and pointed the tip towards Cas’ palm.

Oh well, he thought. At least no one will be making jokes about me being small… half hard like this, my cock looks bigger.

Pee dissipates in sea water quickly, so it was necessary to bring his tip right up to the palm of Cas’ hand before starting a stream.

“Dean, hurry,” Cas pleaded with wide eyes. “It burns.”

Dean nodded and tried to relax, tried to allow himself to let go and urinate. Fish swam by oblivious as he finally managed to release himself onto Cas’ waiting hand. Meg snickered and whispered something to Crowley. Ash and Garth were roaring with laughter. Cas let out a sigh of relief, bubbles rising from his gills and his mouth.

“Thanks Dean,” he added, keeping his hand close to Dean’s dick until the stream was reduced to a few last squirts.

“Charlie,” Cas said weakly, “it still hurts.”

“Well yeah,” she replied. “Peeing on it helps, but it’s not a cure-all. You’re gonna be sore for a few cycles.”

As most of his friends shared a solid laugh at his expense, Dean worked to force his engorged cock back into its sheath. It was uncomfortable to stuff so much back into such a small space. He’d not realized how hard he’d gotten during the exchange, but it was painfully obvious now. He wasn’t stiff, but he was close.

With all of him crammed back inside, the scales on his tail now showed a pronounced lump where his dick was hidden away and he kept his hand over it, partly to hide it as best he could, and partly because the pressure of his palm felt good.

“Look!” Ash shouted, pointing over Dean’s shoulder.

Turning, Dean was astounded to see a large pod of dolphins streak past them.

“Wow,” Charlie said with awe, “they’re beautiful.”

Dean watched the waters around them, hoping the graceful creatures would make another pass. He’d never touched one before, and he longed to reach out and feel the skin of them.

“Dolphins,” Crowley chuckled. “You know what that means.”

“Mating cycle,” Meg supplied in a sultry voice. “The mating cycle will be soon.”

“They’re coming back around!” Gilda yelled excitedly.

The group all pushed out away from the coral formation they’d been clustered near and moved into deeper water. Apparently Dean wasn’t the only one who wanted to get closer. As the sleek mammals approached, Dean leaned out into their path and extended his hand as if for a reach-n-slap.

To his surprise, the lead dolphin actually leaned in as he swept by and allowed Dean’s fingers to trace a line down his side. The skin felt much like his own – thick and a little coarse. The group of friends floated together, stunned into silence by the encounter.

Giddy with delight, Dean turned to slap hands with Ash and Garth. Cas was in no condition to be smacking palms, but his smile was enthusiastic nonetheless. Everyone cheered when the pod turned back again. On this pass, Dean heard them chattering to one another with adorable little clicks and squeals. It was clearly an invitation, and none of the merfolk thought anything about joining in.

Dean and Cas swam side by side in the midst of the group. Reaching out, Dean let his hand graze along the back of one. When his hand settled around the fin, the animal thrust himself forward. The action gave Dean’s entire body a jerk through the water. Initially, he was stunned and retracted his hand. But when the creature looked back at him, the body language was encouraging. So, summoning his courage, Dean reached out and took hold of the fin again.

As the motion was repeated, Dean was ready this time. He kept his hold and found himself tugged along at an upward angle. With a shout of excitement, he cast a glance upward and saw the water distorting in their path. The soft, hazy blue of the environment was suddenly sharp and jagged and cut with bright sparkles of light. This he’d heard about. It was the end of the water. If he broke through that barrier, he’d not be able to survive. Instinctively he let go and his body immediately slowed in the drag of the water, his brave dolphin friend shooting past him and breaching the barrier.

Dean watched in disbelief as its body disappeared headfirst into the unknown until even the tip of its tail was gone. His jaw dropped open in surprise at the action. No sooner had the barrier been broken, than it was broken again by the nose of his dolphin friend. The smooth body of the mammal followed his nose and thrust back into the water with a flourish.

Dean could feel his friends around him, all suspended in the water and watching with wonder as the other dolphins followed the action, breaching the barrier and thrusting themselves into the unknown, only to plunge back in a heartbeat later. They seemed gleeful as they leapt together, sometimes in groups of two and three. They chirped happily, enjoying their game as Dean and his friends watched, mesmerized.

It was enthralling to witness and the more repetitions he saw, the more interested he became in pushing his own head up into the unknown.

“No,” Cas said softly from beside him. “I can see what you’re thinking. Don’t do it.”

Dean nodded, glad to be talked down from the challenge he’d unknowingly issued to himself and returned his attention to the group. All were smiling as they watched, even Meg. The pod moved away from them then, but their playful splashing continued as their silhouettes grew smaller and vanished into the blue. The joy of what they’d witnessed stayed with Dean long after the burst of activity was over. 

“We better start getting back,” Garth suggested when the water had grown still again. “We’ll have to get back to our resting places and hide nearby until the Singer passes. Then we can enter as if we’ve arrived with the others.

“Yeah,” Dean agreed, suddenly realizing how long they’d been here. “Then all we have to do is hope that no one says anything to our folks about us missing school.”

“Doubtful,” Meg said confidently. Dean expected she was right. But, if by happenstance his mother or father wound up swimming next to a Teacher as the community was led home by a Singer, it could happen. He could be busted.

But, looking over at Cas and the huge smile his friend was wearing, Dean knew he’d done the right thing by organizing this outing. With the exception of Cas’ minor injury, it had been thrilling for all of them and just what Cas had needed to get over his gloomy mood.

“Mating ritual soon,” Dean said to his friend as they parted. “Another chance for a brother. Maybe it’s finally your time.”

Cas gave a warm smile at the sentiment and then they parted, wishing each other luck on not getting caught.

After waking, when the meeting was over and the Learners all schooled off together behind Jody, Dean and his friends all exchanged celebratory reach-n-slaps as they congratulated one another on having not been caught ditching school. Just as they’d thought themselves to be free and clear, Michael swam up into the midst of them.

“Good to see you squirts back. I noticed quite a few missing fins on the last cycle. I was afraid something had happened to you.”

Dean worked to try and think of a response… something clever that would simultaneously defend them against the allegation and insinuate they’d been present… without actually telling a lie he could be caught in. His mind was blank.

“Glad to see no one was eaten,” Michael added pointedly, “And I assume that from now on, I’ll be seeing this little group of trouble makers every cycle. Is that right?”

“Yes, Michael,” Dean and his friends agreed.

Nothing more was said so it seemed safe to assume that this was a warning. They’d likely not get another. Once they’d arrived at their destination, the Dead Garden, Jody began addressing the Learners. As usual, she began by answering questions about things from the previous cycle and then transitioned into what they’d be doing on this new cycle.

For Dean, the time moved slowly again as the Leaders of their society went over all the intricate details of how Leaders were selected from the merfolk that desired to make Leadership their profession and other mundane details of the workings of the government. A role in Leadership, Dean decided, was for those who liked to hear themselves talk.

The Dead Garden had never looked more unappealing to him, now that his eyes had gotten used to the bright illumination and vibrant colors of the Big Garden. In comparison, this place looked every bit as dull and lifeless as its name implied. Idly, Dean wondered how many more cycles they’d be spending here. The following cycle he had his answer.

“Learners,” announced Jody with a smile, “tomorrow we will be taking a trip together.”

Even as she was still speaking, a wave of excited cheers broke out among the Learners.

“If you’ve been on a trip with the school before,” she continued, “then you’ll know what to expect. For those of you who are new, I need to explain a few things.”

When they headed home at the beginning of the resting cycle, following Singer from the Dead Garden to their resting places, the Learners were burning with excitement. The mating cycle was imminent, they’d been told. For those old enough to participate, this was something to look forward to with great anticipation. For those too young to attend… it was even better.

The Learners would take a long journey. It would take almost an entire work cycle just to swim there. This was a chance to get away from the dark solitude of their quiet society and visit the “Hot Waters.” The Attendants would join them, caring for the younger ones and seeing to the needs of all. Since Dean’s mother was still Anticipating, she’d be with the Attendants and would be coming along on the trip. Dean’s father would be coming too, since his mate was Anticipating. It wasn’t unheard of for a mated male to still attend the mating ritual even if his other half couldn’t be there. But honestly, few did. Most chose to accompany their mate on the journey to the Hot Waters and assist the Guardians who were tasked with keeping the group safe as they traveled.

Dean had been to the Hot Waters before, but never as a Learner. During past visits he’d been either a Suckling or a Weanling and had to stay with his mother almost all the time.  This time, he’d be on his own as much as he wanted. He didn’t know which he was more excited to see… the live volcano that was still spilling hot lava out into the sea or the Gardens near the volcano that boasted something that never visited the Big Garden near their home – sea turtles. There were caves to explore, too. He was quite excited for all he’d get to do.

His parents would be with him, so there was no chance of missing the birth of his brother. But, he didn’t have to spend a bunch of time with his parents either. He’d be sleeping in a special cave with the other Learners… this was known as a slumber party. Dean knew that this event was meant to keep the youngsters away from the community while the mating ritual commenced. But how could he care about being excluded from that when the alternative being provided sounded far more fun?

Once again, Dean found himself curled up in the sand on the floor of his Resting Place and trying to sleep. Around the bend in his cavern, John and Mary were nestled together, resting, so he had to keep quiet. His tail twitched from side to side in the sand as he worked to stay silent. In his mind, Dean saw images of the amazing sights he’d soon be seeing.

When it was finally waking time, Dean roused himself. It was amazing that he’d been able to sleep at all. He glided along between his parents on the way to the meeting, glad to finally be able to swim off his excess energy.

Amara’s talk was much shorter than usual, mostly focused on the details of the pending ritual. A few dolphins swam by while she was speaking, and that’s what held Dean’s attention. After everyone had eaten the group meal, the Attendants began gathering up the Learners into a school. Some of the Guardians fell into a formation around the edges of the school, and before long they were off.

Dean never even looked back. He stayed near his mom for a short time but swam off to join his friends as soon as he was able. They swam a great distance, taking only a few short breaks. The pace must have been hard for his mother, her huge belly distended to the point of discomfort. But she didn’t complain. She kept her arms cradled around her middle and cooed to the bump whenever they stopped. Dean knew she was hoping for a baby mermaid. But Dean had his own dream… a rough-and-tumble baby merman brother.

Charlie and Gilda spent quite a bit of time with them on the journey. Garth and Ash too. But Crowley and Meg spent most of their time in company that didn’t welcome Dean and his friends. Crowley was friends with the popular kids and that didn’t include Dean, Cas, Ash, Garth or Cole. Casting a sidelong glance, Dean wondered what it might be like to swim with their crowd.

As far as he could tell, the prettiest of the mermaids and the strongest of the mermen all stayed together. They were a tight circle that didn’t allow the likes of him. Silently, Dean wished he and Cas could be a part of their group. He didn’t think on it for long though.

The water pressure, he noticed, was lessening. Along with the lighter water was the brightness of illumination. It was invigorating. The waters were much, much warmer here and there were things to look at besides the blackness of unending water and the ocean floor, which he could usually feel because of the vibrations in the water, but not actually see.

Swimming into a Garden seemed to revitalize the weary travelers. Everyone was pointing at things and darting this way or that way to look closer at interesting things. The Attendants allowed the Learners free rein to look around, as long as they stayed within the perimeter established by the Guardians. Casting a glance back to his mother, Dean saw the Attendants bringing her food. She looked miserable, so he executed a quick turn and returned to her side.

“What can I do for you?” he asked her nervously.

“Tell you what,” she winked, “you hold my nose and push a breath in through my mouth. Your sister will pop right out.”

“Brother,” he corrected her through laughter.

“Go play,” she told him kindly. “I’ll be alright.” As always, when they parted, she kissed the top of his head sweetly. Knowing she was in good hands with the Attendants, Dean swam off to join his friends in the exploring.

As he and Cas investigated this new Garden, Dean noticed the water changing. It seemed to press against him, pushing him toward more shallow waters. Upon arriving here, the tops of many coral formations were penetrating the strange looking barrier that undulated at the end of the water. These formations seemed to be reaching out from the sea and up into another world. Curiously, Dean circled one and began to consider pushing his head through the end of the water to see what lay beyond.

Just when he’d thought he had sufficient courage worked up, a Guardian appeared at his side. The merman was intimidating up close… a hulking figure with a sharp weapon in his hand.

“You stay down here,” the Guardian growled at him. “Never breach the surface. The only thing up there for you is death.”

Dean nodded and sank back down. The entire group had received this warning before embarking on the trip and he deflated, having heard it again. Swimming off to find Cas, he located his friend among several others who were watching stingrays glide along the sandy bottom. Their movements were mesmerizing. As time passed, Dean started to notice that the formations were more visible now. The parts that had been invisible before, stretched up through the barrier and into the unknown, were now fully submerged in water because it was deeper now. It was high tide.

Not long after he noticed this, the group was guided towards the wide mouth of a nearby cave. It was strange to change from the waking cycle to the resting cycle without a Singer to announce it.

As they all swam into the cave, he looked up. He loved this cave. It was a huge cavern. Their entire group would be able to sleep in one room. Looking upward, his eyes traced the domed shape of the ceiling and found a bright circle in the center, another entrance to this cave from above, one that was much closer to the barrier of the surface. It was bright up there.

“Look,” Cas urged, swimming past him, “the caves.”

Following Cas’ pointed finger, Dean’s eyes located the entrance to several caves in a row along the edge where the walls met the cave floor. He’d followed his mother through these caves as a Fledgling. Now, as a Learner, he’d explore them again. But this time, he’d do it with his friends and without the aid of a grownup.

When the entire group was inside the cavern, an Attendant spoke up to address them all.

“Welcome to our Resting Place at Hot Waters,” said one that Dean knew as Pamela. “The Guardians have gone off to gather an evening meal for us and two have remained at the entrance to bar anything else from entering. We are safe here. While we wait for our food, feel free to explore the caves. They all lead back to this location, so if you find yourself lost, don’t fear. Just keep swimming. You WILL wind up back here with your group.

Now, when the waking cycle comes, we’ll be headed off to the volcano. We have much to see and do during the coming wake cycle so try not to spend the entire resting cycle at play. This is called a slumber party because we expect you to slumber – at least a little.”

Giggles went up from several, likely because they’d dared one another to stay awake for the entire resting cycle. Already the mothers with Sucklings were curled up in the soft sand to nurse their young. Hungry slurping sounds came from tiny mouths latched to swollen breasts. Nearby, Weanlings were playing clumsily with their mothers in small groups, kept away from the rougher antics of the older Learners. It felt good to be a part of the boisterous group this time, rather than be occupied by “baby” games.

With the urge to explore simmering in his veins, Dean tugged Cas by the arm and shouted to their other friends. They made a straight shot for the nearest cave and swept into it with a flourish. They followed wide and curving caverns for a while before selecting a smaller and more jagged offshoot to take. Winding through the caves was great fun. Often they’d split up, Cas going one way and Dean going another, only to come across Ash or Garth around a bend farther in. They all came back together and parted company again and again. Occasionally, they’d shoot back out into the main cavern, not having realized they’d been headed back towards the exit.

At one point, they swam out into the main room and found that food was being given out. Dean led his little group of friends over to the line. Once they’d received their portions, they settled for a few minutes to eat. Before getting back to his games, Dean swept over to check on his mother. Seeing her tucked in against his father, just like at home, Dean found himself reassured and headed back with his friends.

They stayed up for most of the resting cycle, finally laying down in the center of the floor to look up at the circle in the ceiling when they grew weary. It wasn’t a perfect circle, just a cave that led to the surface. The light coming from it was weak compared to what it had been before, and Dean had no idea why. As they all laid there talking, he fell asleep.

Once again, changing cycles was different without a singer to announce it. The beginning of this waking cycle was heralded, not by sound, but by movement. Above him was a swirling and when he opened his eyes, he saw that it was the Attendants, joined by both the Guardians and the young ones who had already awakened. They were all moving in the same direction, turning a wide circle around the cavern and churning the water here, just like they did at the meetings in the Gathering Place.

Dean was tired, but he roused himself anyway, eager to go to the volcano.  It wasn’t far to swim, but the waters grew warmer with every swish of his fin. The temperate conditions here were a treat for the senses, but as they neared the volcano the heat became intense. They passed several steam vents along the way too… small openings in the sea floor from which water, forced up by pressure, was bilging out into the cooler waters of the ocean. From these vents bubbled water hot enough to burn even the thick skin of merfolk. The young ones were being kept far away from these dangerous anomalies. By the time the group had reached their destination, the water was almost uncomfortably hot. The young ones loved it, but he and his friends were growing uncomfortable.

Here, near the sight they’d come to see, the Attendants and Guardians took a moment to gather everyone in and explain how things would work. Everyone, it seemed, was going to be staying in this area, designated by a perimeter of Guardians. They were free to explore within their boundary as they waited for their turn for lava viewing, which would be done in small groups. The nursing mothers settled in to let their babies suckle and those with Weanlings were busy keeping them occupied. The rest of them, Dean and his friends included, settled for swimming around to look at the various formations in this area that had been created by the creeping lava.

By the time it was their turn, Dean and his friends were actually bored. But moving to the front of the group cured that quickly. They followed along behind a Guardian, their skin tingling from the heat, and moved out of sight from the rest of the group. It got hotter and hotter until Dean could barely stand it. Around him the waters were fizzing and churning and his ears picked up a strange sizzling sound that grew louder as they swam.

When they arrived at the edge of the lava field, Dean was stunned by what he saw. The hot lava was coming from the rippling barrier between his water world and the mystery one he’d never seen. In the place where molten rock entered the sea, the water boiled heavily. The sizzling he’d heard earlier now reconciled with what he was seeing as the water rapidly cooled the thick and slow-moving substance. As the lava cooled, its heat seemed to skitter upwards to the surface barrier while the rock slowly ceased its progression and solidified. The path of the lava was meandering, the fat tendrils of it inching down like giant worms. As the cooling happened, the lava was left in strange and tangled configurations that reminded Dean of slithering eels. 

“When will it stop?” he asked he asked their guide, suddenly wondering if the entire ocean would eventually fill with this hard black material.

“It has never stopped since our people began coming here, many generations ago.”

“Should we be afraid of it?” Cas questioned.

“No,” answered the guardian. “We’re certain that once it stops, we’ll be able to seed a Garden here. The greatest our people have ever known.”

“Cool,” Dean whispered.

“No,” countered their Guardian. “Hot.”

They watched in fascination until they were told their time was up. Returning to the others, the water suddenly felt much cooler than it had seemed while they were waiting here. It was a relief compared to the boiling temperatures near the lava field, and Dean took the opportunity to check on his mother. Cas stayed with him.

“Hello Sweetie,” Mary greeted when he swam near, “and hello to you too, Cas.”

“Hi,” his friend answered.

“How are you feeling?” Dean asked tentatively.

“Very well. Your sister will be along soon, I think.”

“Brother,” he insisted, “and why do you say that? Is the hot water bothering you?”

“It’s wonderful,” she answered, “but look. See how my belly has shifted lower?”

Yes. Yes, he could see it. The weight of that tummy was stretching the skin where her scales started. Her belly had never looked _heavier_.

“The baby has dropped,” added the Attendant next to Mary, “She’ll deliver soon. Perhaps tomorrow.”

“You’ll do great, Mom, I know you will,” he encouraged. “And I will be a great big brother, even if you have a girl.”

“Okay,” she laughed. “Why don’t you two run off and play now? I need to rest.”

Shortly after leaving the volcano, the hot water began to grow cooler. Back in the cavern, the temperate waters were comfortable and everyone was tired. When the sleep cycle commenced, hardly anyone stayed up. Dean stayed with his friends, who chose to curl up near the mouth of their favorite little cave.

Despite being tired, Dean woke up several times feeling apprehensive. Each time, he pushed himself up from the sand he’d been sleeping on and floated upwards a bit, looking across the cavern to where his mother lay sleeping. Satisfied that she was okay, he returned to resting. Once, he even caught sight of his father lingering near Mary’s sleeping form, an honorary Guardian for this venture, checking on Mary much like Dean was.

When the waking commenced, Dean found himself a bit melancholy. There was nothing left to look forward to now. The trip was ending. All they had left was a long swim home. When they arrived, the mating ritual would be over and regular working and sleeping cycles would resume. Then, a few dozen cycles after the ritual was over, announcements would start. Everyone would cheer for those who had managed to create a new life. Dean would be a brother by then. It was at that moment that Cas crossed his mind.

“Cas,” he whispered, waking his friend, “the mating ritual has happened; you might be a brother soon.”

Cas replied sleepily, “I wish you were my brother, Dean.”

“Me too, Cas.”

 

 

When the group was ready to depart, they found themselves delayed.

“What is it?” Dean asked, pressing toward the mouth of the cave where everyone was trying to exit but no one was being allowed to pass.

“We have to hide for a while,” the nearest Guardian replied.

“Why? Sharks?”

“No. A boat.”

Dean had heard about boats from his father. He’d even seen one in real life, exploring with uncle Bobby. They were strange things that floated on the surface barrier. Not so dangerous in and of themselves, but carrying mercenary creatures that hunted the seas in much the same way that Dean’s father did.

Sadly, the most effective Hunting methods involved being near boats for an extended period of time. Nets, similar to those that merfolk made and used, were lowered into the water to gather large schools of fish in them. It was dangerous work to gather fish as this was being done. But, when successful, the Hunters would procure several cycles worth of food for the entire community in a single endeavor.

There were lots of dangers involving the nets, or even of being sighted by the creatures that lived in the boats. But, the most feared was the harpoon. Some boats didn’t catch fish with nets. They sent spears into the water that were anchored to their boats, and if a merman wasn’t cautious, he could find himself harpooned and drug through the surface barrier, never to be seen again.

It was rumored that the captured merfolk died horribly, but no one really knew for sure. Logic seemed to dictate that those in the boats were catching fish for the same reason that mermen catch fish. To eat them. So, logic would also lead one to assume that any merman caught would also be eaten, much like any tuna, swordfish or sailfish that was harpooned.

“Is it a big boat?” Dean asked the Guardian.

“Yes.”

“What do they look like,” Cas  asked, “the things that live on the boats?”

“I’ve never seen one,” the hulking merman responded, “But I’ve heard they look like us… except they have no tails.”

“Ewww,” groaned Dean and Cas in unison.

“What do they have then,” Dean pressed, “instead of a tail?”

“It’s said that they have two harpoons instead of one tail. I hope I never find out what they look like,” the merman added. “If I see the sight of it, I know I’ll never live to tell what I saw.”

“I can’t think of a worse way to go,” Dean confided to Cas. “Being eaten… by a shark or a…” his voice trailed off as he realized that he had no idea what to call the creatures that live in boats. “Um, sir,” he said carefully to the Guardian, “What do we call them… the creatures in the boat?”

“Well, I guess I don’t know,” he admitted, “They can’t survive in the water. It kills them. They have to stay in their boats. So, I guess we could call them weaklings.”

“From the stories I’ve heard, I’m glad they can’t survive down here,” Dean said.

“Yeah, you boys swim along now. We’ll leave as soon as the boat clears.”

When they finally exited the domed cavern, Dean was a little sad to be leaving. He would have liked to stay one more cycle and play in the Garden more. The swim back was surprisingly refreshing; the cooling water was revitalizing to him after having been warm, or even hot, for so long.

The trek was long for Dean’s mom. He watched her closely and eventually had to abandon swimming with his friends to be by her side as she labored near the back of the group. Eventually, John had been relieved of Guardian duty and allowed to swim by her side. Once he was there, Mary visibly brightened.

John slid up next to his mate and wrapped an arm around her waist, easing the burden of her swim by adding his tail to her forward momentum. Dean trailed along behind them then, watching their two tails swish and the huge bump of her tummy hanging beneath her.

Everyone was exhausted when they finally arrived back home. Dean watched as his mother sank to the soft sediment on the floor of their cave and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

“You best get some rest too,” John told him. “I think we’re going to be busy tomorrow.”

Dean slept right away but woke often, hearing his parents’ voices. He’d sit up for a moment and listen, but then lay back down when it grew quiet again. He awakened once to hear Mary panting… breathing from her mouth in addition to her gills. Then he heard his father start singing softly to her and it lulled him back to sleep. But, when he woke to the voice of an Attendant, he knew what was happening. It was time.

Excitement surged through him as he scuttled around the corner and into his parents’ little sleeping nook. His eyes grew wide at the sight that greeted him there. Mary was leaning on Anna, the Attendant. Their hands were clasped and his mother was breathing heavily. Her tail twitched from side to side rhythmically with her stress and blood was seeping from her slit. He’d never even looked at her slit before, but now he couldn’t tear his eyes away from it. It was stretching open and blood was clouding the water there. Her face was tensed as if she were in agony.

“Dean,” barked his father. Startled, Dean turned his gaze toward the sound of his father’s voice. “Come with me,” John was saying. Dean followed him out of their little cavern. Hovering nearby in the dark waters, Dean was surprised to see several Guardians posted like sentinels near the mouth of their cave. They brandished large weapons and vigilantly watched for danger.

Dean had always thought the Guardians looked cool. They were the only merfolk who carried weapons. And, in addition to the long, sharp daggers they carried, their wrists were circled with sharp spikes.

Those spikes, Dean was certain, were used to deter sharks. He’d seen Guardians defending the Depository before. The Depository was the wide mouthed cavern where food was stored and prepared for the community. Defending the entrance to that cave was known for being a high-risk job. Sharks attacked often, hungry for what was inside. They were ferocious too – driven by the scent of blood in the water and by their frustration with the Guardians. Sharks, after all, were used to being feared. They were terrifying predators. Creatures fighting back at them with spikes, daggers and spears was unusual, and the sharks didn’t like it one bit.

Dean watched his father take a dagger from one of the guards and join them, his eyes looking sharply outward toward any dangers that may approach. “Behind me, son,” he said firmly. Dean complied and joined his father in the protection of his mother. For the remainder of the resting cycle, he listened to his mother pant rhythmically from the mouth of their cave. Additional Attendants arrived, heading inside to care for Mary while the mermen all stood guard around the entrance to their Resting Place.

When the first shark appeared, Dean wasn’t scared. He was in the company of the strongest mermen he’d ever known and wild with desire to protect his mother. He had no weapon, but his father stood strong between him and the adversary. The hungry shark swam back and forth stealthily, steely eyes fixed on the doorway to fresh blood.

Dean was watching intently as the formidable monster passed a bit closer to them with each pass. He’d grown so attuned to the animal’s movements that he hadn’t even noticed the others arriving until another beast slid in between his father and the first shark. That’s when Dean looked around and saw that there were half a dozen shapes cutting through the water around them. He also knew that for every shark he saw up close, there were three circling outside the range of his vision.

The mermen began clanking their wrists together, the sharp sound of metal on metal carrying their threat out into the water. The sharks were undeterred. Behind Dean, back in the cave, Mary cried out loudly. The sound carried on the water, vibrating past the mermen, and was sensed by the sharks. They pressed closer. Dean knew his senses were dull compared to those of a shark, but even he could smell and taste the blood in the water. It dissipated out from their cave and into the sea water. It kept the sharks on edge, pressing ever closer.

“Dean,” said his father, “Go inside and ask the Attendants to call for more Guards.”

Dean turned without hesitation and headed inside. The scene was gruesome and he tried not to look. But as he asked Anna about more Guardians, his eyes fell to his mother’s face. She was distraught, breathing heavily through mouth and gills. She had an Attendant on either side of her and each was holding one of her hands.

He swallowed hard as he saw how tightly she was clenching the hands of her helpers. Then, something moved. It drew his eyes downward. Her slit was torn open, barely visible through the cloud of blood and floating specs of pink flesh. The opening was stretched wide and protruding from the ragged tissue was a wiggling red tail. Dean was mesmerized, staring even despite his best efforts as more and more of it squiggled free of his mom. Skin now, he was seeing skin.

“Come with me,” Anna said as she swam past him to exit the cave.

“But I wanna…”

“No,” she said firmly, “Come with me.”

Dean followed begrudgingly, preferring to stay and watch. He was dying to know if it the little red tailed squirt pushing its way out was a little brother or sister. As they moved to exit the cave, the chilling sight of swarming sharks returned fear to his heart. Cold dread washed over him.

“So many,” he murmured.

“Let’s go,” she said sharply.

“I can’t,” he pleaded as she signaled for him to follow her.

“You can and you will. Come with me now, and we’ll get more help for your mother.”

Dean nodded and turned to go with her. “How?” he whispered. “How will we ever get past them all?”

“Easily,” she answered, taking his hand and pulling him down to the bottom and away from the action. “They’re fixated on the cave. We could hit them as we swam past, and they wouldn’t pay any attention.”

“Where are we going?” he asked as they cut through the water together.

“We need a Singer to alert the others.”

“We’re going the wrong way,” he argued, “Bobby’s place is the other way.”

“I know. We’re going the back way to avoid the sharks,” she explained as they rounded the backside of the rock formation that housed Dean’s family cave.

“You said they wouldn’t bother us,” he countered.

“Well, better safe than sorry,” she responded tersely, “Now, which is it?”

Dean pulled out in front, leading Anna toward Bobby’s little cave near the grotto. As they approached, Bobby was coming toward them, probably having sensed the changes in the water. Dean lunged forward and into Bobby’s arms.

“What is it boy? Your mamma?”

“Yes,” he cried, “so many sharks…”

“We need more Guardians,” added Anna. “Gather all you can.”

“Alright,” he answered, shoving Dean back towards Anna, “See to the boy.”

“Yes,” she answered, taking Dean into her arms.

“I’m fine,” he lied, pushing her away and turning back the way he’d come. “We have to get back.”

They swam quickly but quietly, returning along the backside of the rocks and ghosting silently up under the sharks toward the entrance to Dean’s cave. Arriving, all they saw was chaos. The mermen were engaged in battle now, gouging their weapons into eyes and gills. Everywhere around them, chucks of flesh and blood churned in the water. Spiked wrists pummeled thick hide, even as iron jaws locked down to rend flesh. It was sickening to see the limp bodies of those who had succumbed, being torn to pieces by ravenous predators. From the frothing waters, the voices of brave mermen were calling for aid that wasn’t close enough to save them.

Dean put his hands up defensively to protect his face as a shark whirled around and descended on him. Belatedly, he saw that it had only one eye – the other was gouged from its socket. As it bore down on him and Anna, he reached out and punched it in the nose with all he had, knowing it was his only defense. The small bull turned away and swam off, easily thwarted.

Dean’s heart was racing and he realized now that he was screaming, gills burning with exertion and mouth full of water. Anna was too. Turning toward the cave, Dean saw his father coming toward him. Behind John, a Guardian was fiercely defending the entrance against two sharks at once. Over the chaos, Dean heard Bobby’s voice drawing closer.

Turning to face the sound, Dean saw reinforcements swimming into the battle. With renewed hope, Dean looked back toward the mouth of his cave. The brave merman was holding his own against several big sharks, but as Dean watched his stomach dropped. One had swept right past the last of the defenses and into his cave.

“Dad!” he cried out in fear.

“Dean,” John shouted, stealing Dean’s attention back from the horror unfolding and bringing it to the lump being foisted abruptly into his arms.

“Take him,” John yelled, “Take him, take him, take him!”

Dean opened his arms to a wriggling mess of skin and scales and clamped down tightly. “Swim away Dean,” yelled his father. “Take your brother and swim!”

The moment the infant was in Dean’s arms, John was gone. Dean turned away, not wanting to see what would happen next. He knew the scent of blood was on the babe he carried. It was on him now too, but that didn’t matter. Nothing in all the ocean could rip this baby from his arms. He’d protect it with all his strength and to the very last breath.

Moving along carefully, disturbing as little water as he could to avoid detection, Dean fled the shark-infested waters. He could see nothing in the clouded water, but his senses still felt the distance to the seafloor and the walls of the rock formation he skirted. Behind him, the shouts and screams grew softer as he put more distance between his baby brother and the carnage he’d been born into.

Initially, instinct had Dean heading for Cas’ home. But logic soon took over and steered him to a safe haven that was much closer. Charlie’s place. The entrance to her cave was ringed with staghorn corals and Dean carefully slid past them, not wanting to scrape up the little squirt in his arms.

“Charlie?” he whispered, “Charlie?”

“Who is that?” came the response, though not from Charlie. The startled voice came from her aunt.

“It’s Dean,” he replied, “I’m a friend of Charlie's, remember? My family was attacked by sharks.”

“Of course,” she whispered, pulling Dean deeper into the cavern. The two of them pushed in beside Charlie, who woke a bit confused but soon came to understand. In the dark beside him, Charlie was all fingers, seeking to touch the quivering bundle he was clutching to his chest.

“Dean,” she said softly, “is this a brother, or a sister?”

“It’s a boy,” he whispered.

“What’s his name?”

“He doesn’t have one,” Dean said softly, “He was just born. Sharks were attacking… I don’t know if my mom even got to hold him.”

“Did either of your parents make it out?” she asked.

“I – I don’t know.”

Time was passing, though he wasn’t sure how long he should wait. For a while he’d only been content to hold his new brother and keep him safe. But after he calmed down, he let Charlie take a turn holding the little sprout too. The babe was hungry, but all they had to offer him was their fingers to suck on. They sang softly to him and tried to keep him quiet as they waited an eternity for word from anyone regarding Dean’s mother and father, and the battle for their home.

When there was a subtle shift in the water, a vibration, all three of them listened intently. As the source of the sound drew closer, it became more distinguishable. A Singer. Bobby. Dean gave his treasure back to Charlie and swam out of their safe little space.

As he came out of hiding, Dean saw that Bobby wasn’t alone. There were several mermen and mermaids swimming along behind him. But that didn’t stop Dean. Rather than joining the others, Dean went straight for Bobby. His uncle stopped short when he saw Dean approaching.

“There you are, boy,” he whispered as he pulled Dean into an abrupt hug, “Been lookin’ for you. You alright?”

“Yeah, what happened Bobby?”

“Well, we lost quite a few. But the worst is over now. Where’s your brother?”

“He’s safe. He’s with my friend Charlie and her Aunt. Are my folks okay?” he asked, “My mom?”

“Your mother is alright,” he whispered. “But your daddy ain’t doin so well.”

“Will he live?”

“I don’t know, son. We’ve moved the injured to an empty cave. That’s where we’re headed now.”

Dean looked at the merfolk waiting behind his uncle, realizing they were all Attendants. They were on their way to help treat those who’d been injured. “Can I come?” he asked.

“Yeah, but you’ll have to leave your brother here.”

It was a tough choice. But, the baby was safe and Dean’s father wasn’t. “I’ll go with you.”

Bobby gave a firm nod and slid a supportive arm around Dean’s neck. He didn’t push it away. Before they left, Bobby dispensed two Attendants to stay at Charlie’s house and care for the baby. Then, they swam over to an area Dean didn’t visit often. The grotto. It was pretty enough, but since he didn’t know anyone who made their home here, he’d never had much cause to be in the area. They swam quietly past the occupied caves and down toward the far end, which was uninhabited. As they passed by, Dean noticed that some merfolk lingered at the mouths of their caves, watching the activity of the Guardians as they patrolled the water. They’d likely never had Guardians here before and were either fascinated or terrified.

Rounding a bend, they came to the cavern that housed the wounded. There were, again, sharks gathering. It was reminiscent of the scene at his cave, prior to any attack. The stealthy animals were swishing back and forth, not pressing close yet, but obviously waiting with intent.

This time, there was an abundance of merfolk between the sharks and the blood… not just Guardians but others too. There were mermen and mermaids floating here, scattered between the armed guards. Dean knew they were probably the mates or family of injured merfolk, unwilling to wait idle for news of their loved ones and choosing instead to assist in defense.

The additional Attendants that Bobby had brought acknowledged the defenders as they entered the cave and Dean followed them in. There were several injured Guardians scattered about the cave. The nearest didn’t look like he would make it. His tale was pale and grey. His upper arm was banded tightly with sea weed plant stems, a tourniquet to keep his blood in. Below the elbow there was nothing but a stump from which shredded tissue dangled, floating ominously in the water. His arm had been bitten off. The Attendant was singing to him and stroking his hair, having done all that could be done.

Nearby, urgent voices pulled Dean’s eyes from the dying man and to a throng of activity. Several attendants were gathered around one body. Dean couldn’t help but stare as the Attendants slid an old bone into the injured man’s mouth and told him to bite down. He did, and when he did, the Attendants converged on him, all working to hold him down as one turned his arm and gave it a jerk. The poor man howled and gritted his teeth on the bone as his broken arm was manipulated back into place and then bound to his chest with a special net made of plant fibers.

Dean moved slowly past and deeper into the cave, in search of his father. He found him along the back wall. Both his arms were bound from the elbow down. “What happened to your arms?” Dean asked him.

“One of ’em got a good bite on me,” John chuckled. “But one of the guards talked him out of it.”

Dean smiled, reassured that his father must be alright if he was making jokes.

“What about your fin?” Dean asked, noticing half was torn off.

“Well, you’re old man’s gonna live, son. But I’ll need some help since I can only swim to the left now. You’ll help me, won't you? Swim alongside me and give me a bump when I need to go right?”

“Dad…”

“Yeah, son. I know,” John sighed. “But this is what a merman does to protect his family. And I’m lucky compared to some. We lost nine good mermen tonight, men who died to save your mama and your brother. Don’t lessen their sacrifice by feeling sorry for me when I got to live on.”

“Yes sir,” Dean conceded, “Where’s Mom?”

“Farther back. Go give her a hug. She’ll need it.”

Dean nodded and moved along the back wall slowly. There was an Attendant there, having her cuts bandaged, and next to her was Mary. She was sleeping. She was pale. Having seen her slit ripped open before, he couldn’t help but look to it now.

The ruptured tissue beneath her scales was still rough, but it seemed to be holding itself together. Her tail was paler than usual, but not in a sickly way that scared him. It seemed like she was just very frail. One of her arms was bound in seaweed stems much like his father’s, and he knew that his mother must have sustained a shark bite. Relief swelled in his chest as he realized that both his parents would live.

“Hi Mom,” he said as he floated down to the cave floor.

“Hello sweetie,” she whispered as she opened her eyes, “Is your brother safe?”

“Yes, he’s with Charlie and her aunt.”

“Good. You take care of him until I’m able to go home, okay?”

“I will.”

“Is there an Attendant with him?”

“Yeah, two.”

“Good.”

“Did you get to hold him, Mom?”

“I did,” she cooed. “It was just for a moment, but it was incredible. I forgot how little you once were.”

“I was the cuter one, right?” he teased.

“You were beautiful, my son,” she answered dreamily. “Still are.”

 

 


	3. The Betrayal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for editing MoniJune! It's so fun working with you :)

Dean had spent lots of time imagining the birth of his brother. But the actual birth had been far different than anyone could have expected. For their family, the event had been harrowing and traumatic. His mother had taken a long time to heal from her wounds, both from the difficult birth and from the shark bites she’d sustained. The scars she bore were a heavy reminder, but she was strong and healthy otherwise. John, sadly, would never fully heal.

Dean remembered his father having been strong and handsome before Sammy had come along. But now, though Dean knew his father was happy, he was gimpy. His tail, unbalanced, kept him from swimming in a straight line and his arms were a bit deformed. John could no longer hunt as his profession, and it was a sad thing – the merman had prided himself on his prowess and his new role as a Preparer was obviously not fulfilling to him.

Additionally, the shark attack they’d survived when Dean’s brother was born wasn’t just hard on his family. The community had been devastated as well. Sitting through meeting after meeting and listening to the adults argue over the details of it had been awful.

After the massacre, most merfolk felt that the protocols in use should be revised. It was, they said, simply not justifiable to lose many lives in the saving of a few. Logically, it made sense. How can their kind survive if they continue trading nine lives for four? But no matter how much he thought about it, Dean couldn’t help the cold feeling of wrongness that settled over his heart when he imagined abandoning a merman or mermaid to die – no matter how logical it seemed when discussed in the calm relatively safety of their meeting place. It was hard not to lose faith in the adults when their viewpoints differed so much from Dean’s own.

The bright side of it all was Sammy. Even when his brother was just a Suckling, Dean had been enamored. He’d never sat still on purpose for so long in his life. He would watch as his brother nursed, hungry mouth latched to his mother’s breast, waiting patiently for his turn to hold the baby.

Each cycle when he returned from school, he’d wait for a chance to hold the slippery little sucker before swimming off to play. Then when he returned from playing with his friends, Dean would tickle his brother’s chin. Sammy would coo and giggle and laugh out loud as his tiny tail fin twisted and twirled in the water, his small body bucking away from the tickling touch even as a wide smile played over his lips.

Not long after Sam was born, Castiel’s mother finally conceived. In preparation to be a big brother himself, Cas had taken an even greater interest in Sammy. Little baby Gabriel was along soon after, a tiny little thing… much smaller than Sam had been.

With little brothers to attend to, neither Dean nor Cas minded trading off games like Critter Catch to spend more time being big brothers. They helped their mothers dutifully, and as both the tots grew up and began to develop their own little personalities the job became even more fun. Gabe, it turned out, was a mischievous little squirt while Sam was very serious for a Suckling. He followed Dean everywhere and watched him closely, always seeking to copy him in every way. Sam would work to sit up straight and eat without dropping his food while Gabe would sling his food at anyone and everyone – giggling as fish bits flopped onto the faces of his caregivers.

Little Gabe had come later and started smaller and though he grew and grew, he never even came close to catching up. In fact, around the time that they were transitioning from Suckling to Weanling, Sam took to calling Gabe “Little Shrimp.” Gabe didn’t even seem to mind it.

When the tots were no longer breast dependent, Dean and Cas found they had a lot more leeway. Rather than having to confine themselves to their Resting Places, they were able to take the boys out to play. It was nice to show off their brothers, but it was also nice to fall back in with the friends they’d been neglecting.

Critter Catch and other “big kid” games became the new excitement for little Sammy and Gabe, even though they mostly just clung tightly to their big brothers, along for the ride as they swam and played aggressively.

As cycles went by, Sammy grew long and lean. His bright red tail darkened to a rich tone and his dark hair got long. Gabe stayed on the smaller side, his build less muscular, and he retained enough baby fat in his face to keep him adorable. Good thing too… because he was a handful of trouble. He needed that sweet face to dampen the anger of those who bore the brunt of his mischief.

Having another child had brightened up Castiel’s mother significantly. She was often out and about now, wearing big smiles, and she spent a great deal of time with Mary as the boys all grew up together. When the time came for Sam and Gabe to leave the full time care of their mothers and join school, Dean and Cas helped them make the transition. They helped the boys find their way when they needed it, and they made sure no one was bullying them.

School became routine after a while, even with little brothers attending. Once when Dean’s mind was wandering as it often did, he suddenly realized that he’d been paying so much attention to their brothers that he’d not even noticed how much he and Cas had grown up too. Dean had hardly perceived the changes, but as he glanced over at Cas swimming beside him, it was suddenly obvious.

Cas was long now, almost as long as an adult. His shoulders were wide and thick too. When had he filled out so much? He looked _muscular._ As Dean slowed, Cas pushed past him and Dean’s eyes locked on the lean lines of his friend’s back, moving sinuously as his tail swished rhythmically back and forth behind him. Castiel moved smoothly through the water with an enviable strength and fluidity. Dean hadn’t even realized he’d been staring until Charlie swam up next to him and interrupted his deep thoughts.

“Did you hear where we’re going?” she asked excitedly.

“Back to The Crevice?”

“Nope. We’re done there for now, I guess. I heard we’re going to The Dead Boat.”

“I hope so,” Dean enthused. “The Crevice was so cool at first, but we’ve been there too long.”

“So does that mean you’ve changed your mind about being a Punisher when you grow up?”

“I don’t know,” he said as he deflated a little. “It seemed cool at first…” Dean’s voice trailed off as Charlie's question settled in on him. This wasn’t the first time he’d grown excited about a possible profession and changed his mind. Considering how often he’d done that now, Dean began to wonder if he had a problem. After all, he couldn’t ever seem to force himself to pay attention to anything… not during the meetings at the Gathering Place and not at school when he as meant to be learning. He was getting older now, a hard look at Cas had shown him that. Sam and Gabe were the new ones at school while he and Cas had been at an intermediate level for quite some time.

Nothing was actually new anymore. They’d seen all the locations and had at least minimal exposure to all professions – the safer ones anyway. Training for a dangerous profession was only for senior students and prior to embarking on that, candidates had to be reviewed. So, as far as the routine life of grown up merfolk, there were no big mysteries left. Well, except the mating ritual. They’d not be seeing that until they were old enough to participate. Each cycle, they still traversed to Hot Waters with the rest of school. But, sooner than later, Dean would be a full grown merman and need to choose a profession that he could stick with. Permanently.

“Charlie,” Dean ventured, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Well,” she said, pursing her lips, “I think I’d be an excellent weaver. I’ve got nimble fingers, and I enjoy the work. I like making beautiful patterns and seeing the mermaids wear pretty things I’ve designed.”

“So, you’re pretty sure then? Already?”

“Yep,” she answered with a grin, “pretty sure.”

A few dozen cycles ago, Dean would have said that he was sure he wanted to be a Punisher. He liked the sound of the title… it carried weight. It also seemed like a nice compromise between the warring desires of his parents. His father had hoped that Dean would grow to be a Hunter like he was, but his mother had made no secret of her desire for him to choose a safer profession. Punisher, he thought, was cool enough to appease his father and safe enough to keep his mother happy too. Besides, the eerie surroundings of the merfolk prison at The Crevice had always excited him.

So when the school had most recently spent time at The Crevice, Dean had been enticed by the job. However, he’d been disappointed that as Learners they weren’t able to see the long-term prisoners. They’d been taught that long-term prisoners were primarily those who had conspired against the Leadership and endangered the Community. Short-term prisoners were ones who had committed crimes against other merfolk. For instance, any merman who forced himself on a mermaid sexually would be brought here on a short-term basis. The Punishers would bind him and cut off his dangly bits and he’d remain there until he was well enough to go back to the Community. Another example they’d been given of short-term punishment was the unprovoked use of force on another merman. This was commonly known as assault and could be punished by having a hand chopped off.

As Learners at the Crevice, they’d seen none of these things. They’d seen only low-level punishments, which were meted out near the mouth of the crevice and not deep inside where prisoners were held. In the large cavern near the entrance to The Crevice, the students had witnessed what happens when a minor crime is committed.

The school, as part of a daily lesson, had watched as a new prisoner was brought in and bound. He’d been sentenced to three cycles of I and S. That was short for isolation and starvation. They’d all watched quietly as the Prisoner tried to be strong and not admit that he was afraid. But he was. And it was easy to imagine why.

First and foremost, the members of the Community are close. They do everything together, and no one is ever really alone. Not even when they sleep. Even someone is the last survivor of their family unit, they don’t live in solitude. Instead, they are taken in by their extended family or a close friend.  

So, to be a prisoner here and left in isolation is unnatural. Additionally, the sea is a dangerous place. Sharks aren’t the only predators that lurk in the water. To be bound is to be defenseless. There are no Guardians here to protect them; only the Punishers.

Watching the prisoner be bound and left alone had been solemn for the Learners. But Dean had been curious about what happened beyond the mouth of the Crevice… he’d wanted a look at the short- and long-term Prisoners. So, Cas had devised a plan to sneak off and get a peek.

When they snuck in, they found the bottom of the Crevice to be a deep, dark place. If not for the eerie blue light of glow worms overhead, their eyes would have been useless.

Being deprived of sight had always been a fear-inducing thing for Dean. Technically, he could still “see” without his eyes – the slope of the ocean floor and the shape of encroaching rock formations detected by his other senses. Nearby movements were also noticed, vibrating through the water to be recognized by his gills, skin, and scales. But to be without his actual eyesight was to be more vulnerable, and he hated it.

In the deep fathoms of The Crevice, Dean and Cas had seen more than they bargained for. Under the faint illumination of glow worms, the Prisoners were all bound hands to fin. It bent them backwards into a circular shape. The position wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable, for a moment or two. In fact, that type of body position enabled a merman to channel the momentum of a fast swim and easily turn sharp corners. Hell, the mermaids often performed such spins just to attract attention. But seeing merfolk bound in this position and then left that way for an entire wake or sleep cycle incited the deepest pity from Dean.

The Prisoners weren’t quiet in their suffering either. Some argued amongst themselves as to whose fault it was that they were here. Others moaned in agony, begging for food or to be unbound. Some just wept softly. There was no soft sediment for them to settle into either. They were scattered haphazardly along the bottom of the crevice, powerless to even move as their weight pressed down on a bed of hard rocks and coral fragments.

“Remind me never to betray the Leadership,” Cas had whispered as they swam away.

Thinking of what they’d seen back then chilled Dean even now. He looked over at Charlie and said, “I thought I’d be okay with Punishing people. I mean, they’ve done bad things, right?”

“Yes, they have,” she answered.

“It’s weird,” he explained, “but I don’t think I can punish them… even though I know they’re guilty. I just don’t think I can do it. I don’t wanna be a Punisher anymore.”

“Look,” she said, vibrating with excitement, “we’re passing the ravine! We’re not going to The Crevice!”

“The Dead Boat?” he questioned, suddenly curious.

“That’s what I heard,” she chirped as she pushed away from him. Dean let his eyes follow her as she swam off, her multicolored tail twisting as she turned abruptly. As he watched, she swam up to Gilda. The two had been best friends all this time. When they were young, they had held hands everywhere they went. They still did. But now, the action elicited an eye roll from most. They were far too old to be so childish. Hand holding was for Fledglings. And maybe for mates.

As the two mermaids veered off together, Dean pushed himself to swim a bit faster and catch up with Cas. As he approached, he heard his friend chatting with their usual group and speculating on where they might be headed.

“Charlie thinks we’re going to the Dead Boat,” Dean added, pushing himself into the conversation.

“She might be right,” Cole confirmed. “We didn’t turn at the ravine, so if we don’t turn at the ledge, that must be where we’re headed.”

They’d all been to the Dead Boat before. Since it wasn’t a work site, it wasn’t a place where they’d spent a significant amount of time. In fact, they were usually only there for one wake cycle.

A cheer went up from the older members of the group as they passed the ledge and continued straight ahead. If they had turned left at the ledge, they would have come upon The Depository. If they had gone right and followed the ledge, they could view the drop off. But going straight? Yep. They were headed for the Dead Boat.

As young learners, this had mostly been a fun place to play. It was reminiscent of a Garden because there were so many fish around, but it was far less beautiful. Too deep for illumination, only the colorless varieties of coral grew here. The decomposition of materials made the water murky too – full of tiny particles. The more the merfolk swam about to explore the site, the worse visibility would get. 

The Dead Boat was just that… a boat that had once floated on the surface barrier. But, once it had sunk below the barrier, the Weaklings had died. Dean smiled as he thought of them. At a young age, one of the Guardians had teasingly referred to the inhabitants of the boats as Weaklings because they couldn’t survive in water. Cas had liked the name too, so it had stuck.

Now that they were older and more knowledgeable, Dean knew that the creatures who survived in boats were called Humans. But he and Cas still preferred to call them Weaklings.

This Dead Boat that they’d be exploring wasn’t the only one. There were many boats that had somehow succumbed to the water and sank down to the bottom. The wreckage of them was scattered about over the sea floor. Many were in charted waters, which meant that the merfolk had mapped their locations. But this particular one, being close to The Community, was frequented often. The school visited occasionally and everyone knew that small groups of young merfolk often snuck out here to be away from the adults and have a little adventure of their own. Dean and his friends had been guilty of an occasional trip.

In fact, he’d been to the Dead Boat enough times now that it didn’t hold any excitement for him. His glee, he now realized, stemmed from a break in the monotony of visiting work sites with the school. This, like a trip to Hot Waters, was not a work destination. It would primarily be fun.

As they neared the hulking wreck, Michael swam purposefully around their perimeter. He chastised those who tried to veer off on their own and made sure that the group stayed together. The Learners all slowed from a steady swim to an easy float, eyes looking past the Teacher and towards the behemoth dark shape behind her.

Jody barked at them to put eyes on her, and most did. Begrudgingly.

“We’re going to be exploring the Dead Boat,” she announced, as if that wasn’t already obvious. “I want the older Learners to come forward and be paired up with a young Learner.”

Initially, he’d brightened at the thought of being his brother’s guide. But, Jody paired him with someone else, despite his protest, and though he was irritated by it, Dean did as he was told. He paired up with his assigned youngster and showed him around. First, he made sure to take the little guy around the perimeter once so the kid could get an idea of how big the boat really was. Then they ventured inside. The kid was chattering excitedly about what they’d find and pestering him with question after question.

What did they find inside the boat? Not much. Merfolk scavenged sunken boats for many things and with this one being so close to the community, it had long ago been emptied. But, since this was also a place of learning, a few pieces had been left behind on purpose to serve as examples.

Jesse, Dean’s little tag-along, swam eagerly from one thing to the next. “I know what this,” the little squirt bubbled as he pointed out a rusting piece of metal, “The Guardians use them, right?”

“Yep,” answered Dean. The young one was enthralled as he reached out and took the thing in his hands, probably feeling one for the first time. It was a small thing, long and thin. It would appear flimsy if one had never felt metal before. But, hard under their fingers, this thing was a weapon. It could gouge the eyes of sharks. The noise of clanging metal against metal had also proven to be a deterrent to sharks.

Watching the boy turn the instrument over in his hands, Dean could only think how much it looked like a tiny version of a trident. It was cylindrical, one long line that was smaller in diameter than a finger. At one end, it split into three smaller lines. The tip of each was sharp.

Dean, having been in school for a long time, knew that the Guardians took these things from Dead Boats and bent them skillfully together. The finished product would twist the blunt end of one with the sharp end of another. Several of these braided together created a cuff which The Guardians wore on their wrists. The sharp spikes faced outward and made the arms of Guardians dangerous to all predators.

Dean congratulated the boy for understanding the concept so quickly and moved them deeper into the boat.

“Wow,” the boy said reverently as he took in the sight of a long and shiny blade. “It already has a handle on it. These are the weapons the Guardians carry.”

“Yep.”

“So, they just find them here?”

“Yep. Good thing too, huh?”

“I guess so,” said the kid, swimming off to explore more.

Dean followed, letting the boy move ahead of him as he pondered the weapons. He’d never really thought of it before, but it seemed strange to know that all their weapons came from Humans. How had they ever defended themselves before the Weaklings had begun losing boats to the sea? Perhaps it had always been like this… back and back.

Hell, it wasn’t just weapons. His own father, while a Hunter, had carried the tool called a trident. He now knew that these were also scavenged from boats on the ocean floor. The trident was helpful as a tool, giving merfolk the ability to spear big fish like tuna, rather than simply catching smaller fish in the nets made by Weavers.

Dean’s father, back when he was a Hunter, had begun training his son in how to use the trident. That wasn’t something learned in school either. When senior Learners showed an interest in a dangerous profession like Hunting, Guarding, or Exploring, they had to be reviewed by Leadership and get permission to train. So, Dean’s knowledge on how to use one actually did make him feel a little bit special.

Considering how quickly Dean had lost interest in the careers of common merfolk, perhaps it was time to think about himself in a more dangerous role. Thus far, the concerned look his mother had pointed at him when he mentioned such things had been a deterrent. But now, following along behind a precocious little squirt and biding his time, Dean had to admit that the only future he could really imagine for himself was one that held excitement. Danger. Uncharted waters.

By the time it was playbreak, the thought was dominating his mind. Dean watched his charge swim off to his peers and then turned his eyes toward his own group. They were sitting around chatting and, as usual, the topic of conversation was mermaids. Since he’d noticed earlier how very big Cas had grown, Dean took a moment to look over the rest of his group appraisingly. Garth had grown long too. But, unlike Cas, he had no muscle. His arms were lanky and his ribs showed. He almost looked underfed. It was strange too, since Garth was known to eat like a sea cow.

Compared to Garth, Ash was a fine specimen. Though he wasn’t weak-looking, Ash only appeared muscular when no one else was around. His small frame, next to the others was unimpressive.

Cole was actually about the same build as Cas. He was handsome, too, in his way. But as Dean watched Cas and Cole laughing over something, he couldn’t help but notice that Cas was far more attractive. Both had dark hair and dark eyes. Hell, both had blue tails. But Cas just had something that Cole didn’t. It was there in his smile and the brightness of his eyes. Castiel also had wide sweeping eyebrows that made his face dramatic and commanding. Even his lips were intriguing and as he looked at them now, Dean realized this was not the first time he’d noticed them. They were wide and full and pink and it was hard to look away.

Yeah, if Dean had to choose one of them as the best looking, it would be Castiel. When a sudden movement caught his eye, Dean followed it and saw Crowley approaching. All this time, Crowley had been somewhat of a double agent. He wasn’t really one of them, belonging more fully to the most desirable group of Learners in school. But, he often visited with Dean’s group as well. Dean watched as he slithered in, black tail curling around to slow his pace.

“Hello, you lot,” he greeted pretentiously. “How’s things with my second favorite group?”

As the others brought Crowley into the conversation, Dean tipped his head discreetly to observe the inner circle of their school’s most popular group. At the head of the circle was Benny. He was, by far, the biggest and strongest of the Learners in this school. His tail was a unique shade of silver that reminded Dean of a tuna. As usual, the hottest mermaids in school were floating nearby and seeking ways to ingratiate themselves to him. It was almost sickening to see the way they preened for him, stretching their bodies to show off their bosoms and curving hips.

Closest to Benny was Bella. She was clearly his preference at this moment, and Dean watched as Benny reached his large hand out to caress her arm. It was subtle, but clear, when his hand slid down past the bend in her elbow to rest on her hip.

Lydia, sexy but irritating, seemed to take Benny’s intent focus on Bella as grounds to move on. Dean watched her pink tail swish as she propelled herself over to where Crowley was. “Hey,” she said to the group as she joined. Her light pink tail looked very nice against the stark contrast of Crowley’s darker one. Again, Dean caught the subtle movement of a hand as Crowley slid his fingers down her lower back and grazed the place where her scales started. Dean was beginning to wonder if he the _only one_ that wasn’t scheming to put his hands on a mermaid.

From his first time at school until now, he’d been surrounded by boys who wanted for nothing but to push their cock into the slit of a pretty mermaid. As a young one, he’d trusted that eventually he’d want that too. But here he was… nearly a full grown merman… and the thought of mermaids was bland at the best of times. He simply had no inclination. And now, the thought was beginning to worry him.

He glanced once more at the group of popular kids. He’d never been one of them. He’d never really touched a maiden either. Added to his worries was the fact that he’d quickly lost interest in the few common professions that had ever appealed to him. As he looked around at the rest of his peers, Dean had to wonder what was wrong with him. Why was he so different from the others?

That question stayed on his mind long after playbreak was over. It haunted him as he finished with his little student, and it stayed front and center in his thoughts as they followed the Singer back to their resting places.

As was their routine now, Dean and Cas departed the company of other merfolk near Cas’ home. They swam side by side to Cas’ place and greeted his mother. She gave them all a snack and then smiled when they left her to go play.

“Take care of my little bitty one,” she called after them, referring to Gabiel.

“Mom,” rebuked Cas as he turned back to her, “you can’t keep baby-talking him. He’s not a Suckling anymore.”

Dean watched her smile at her son adoringly, “You’ll just have to toughen him up for me then,” she replied.

Dean knew the implications behind her words. She had no mate. There was no one around to teach little Gabe to be strong. That job was all on Cas now. Luckily, much like Dean, Cas loved being a big brother. And as much as the two rolled their eyes and talked of how annoying their little brothers were, they loved it. They loved being the bigger ones. They loved being the guiding hand and the model of what their baby brothers would want to be.

Taking a suggestion from Charlie, he and Cas decided to play hide-n-seek with their brothers.

“You’re gonna be IT,” Dean told Sammy, pressing him towards a huge rock formation, “You lean here, close your eyes and count to ten while we hide. Then, you gotta come find us. This rock is home-base. So, we’ll try and get back to it before you find us. If we make it to the rock, we’re safe. But if you can thump one of us before we get here… then that dude’s gotta be IT.”

Sammy nodded big puppy eyes at him with a serious expression and turned toward the rock face, covering his eyes with his hands. “One… two… three…”

Dean skittered off, leaving Cas and Gabe to find a hiding place, and headed for a nearby crevice which provided just enough space to slide into the dark shadow of it. He had to tilt his hips forward a bit to squeeze in, but once there, he was sure he wouldn’t be seen. From his sliver of darkness, Dean could still see out and he had a good view to where his brother was saying, “Nine… ten.”

Wearing a smirk, Dean watched Sam twirl around, looking for some clue as to where he should start searching. Those big brown eyes traced over the cliff face that Dean had tucked himself into, skimming right over him. But then, a moment later, they snapped right back. Dean was stunned to see a huge smile spread across his brother’s face as he plunged forward and began swimming at full speed, directly towards the cleft where Dean had hidden himself. His plan had been to wait until Sam’s back was turned and then make for base. But from the moment that the little squirt had finished counting, he seemed to have been drawn to Dean as though he could smell him. Well fuck.

Seeing that he’d been made, Dean shoved himself free of the crevice and took off. He pointed his nose to Sammy’s left and began swimming hard and fast in the hopes of speeding past him. Unfortunately, Sam was getting faster with each passing cycle. He turned quickly and gave chase. Dean veered to the right and left, weaving to evade, his tail skimming past his brother with only a fin’s length to spare. With Sammy hot on his heels, Dean circled around and headed for base. To his surprise, Gabe and Cas were already there and they were laughing at him. Just as he got within reach of the giant stone, he felt a hand tap his tail and slide down it. He was IT.

“Alright,” Dean laughed, “That was beginner’s luck.”

“Next time,” Sammy giggled, “you should tuck your fin into the crack.”

“Hear that, Dean?” Cas goaded, “Don’t leave your fin hanging out.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he replied, reaching out to thump his friend as he swam past. He then had to watch as Cas and Gabe circled to come around and give Sam a victorious reach-n-slap.

“Ya did good, kid,” praised Gabe as he swam away from Sam to go hide again.

“Don’t call me kid,” Sammy hollered in response. “I’m older than you!”

“Not smarter,” came the jeering reply.

“But I’m longer,” retorted Sammy.

“Good one,” Dean laughed, shaking off his loss and giving Sammy his own reach-n-slap.

“I know,” his brother teased confidently. “You’re it. And no peeking.”

Dean grinned as he turned his back on them and sagged against the rock to count. When he reached ten, he opened his eyes and spun around. There were voices and movements nearby… other merfolk enjoying their free time. But the fins of one best friend and two little brothers were conspicuously absent.

They’d never played hide and seek before, but based on other games, Dean suspected that Sammy would be clever at finding a hiding spot. He tried to look in places that weren’t obvious, knowing that his brother was too smart for that. But he didn’t want to stray too far from base either. After all, if his playmates were watching him, they’d see him move away from it and make a play to get there before he could thump them.

He decided to take a cue from the sharks they all feared so much. He circled. He put a confident smirk on his face and eased out into large arcs around the rock, acting nonchalant but keeping a wary eye in all directions. After a few rounds, he thought he saw the flick of a red tail fin. The blur of movement pulled his eyes to a swaying patch of seaweed not too far from the cliff face he’d hidden in a moment ago.

On a mission to investigate, he widened the path of his orbit and moved closer. As he neared, his grin spread into a knowing smile. He could see just the tiniest glimpse of red between the billowing leaves. Sammy.

Then, from behind him, Dean heard, “Go for it Cassie!”

That declaration had him spinning around. It was followed immediately by a barking voice that answered, “Don’t call me Cassie. I’m not a mermaid.”

Just on the other side of base was Cas. He was shooting through the water at high speed. His strong arms propelled him through the water, and his tail churned up bubbles and froth behind. The sweeping arch of his eyebrows were narrowed into a line, determined. He was headed for base.

Dean shot off in his direction, accepting the speed challenge and determined to head off his friend before he made it. It was going to be close. Cas was almost to the rock, and Dean was a hairsbreadth from intersecting to cut him off. At the last moment, Cas dove to his left and began swimming away from Dean. He’d given up hope of being the first back to base and was now swimming away like a coward, probably hoping he could circle around for a second attempt. As Dean followed Cas around, gritting his teeth with determination, he heard a cheer from behind him.

Allowing himself one moment to glance back toward Sammy, he saw his brother reach base.

“Dammit,” he cursed, irritated that he’d been so easily baited.

“C’mon,” Sam was cheering from his position of safety. Following Sam’s gaze, Dean spotted Gabe. He was pushing up from a small hole near the bottom of the adjacent rock wall and was now swimming for base. It was a tough call. Gabe was farther away, but he was clearly the easier conquest. Cas, though closer, was going to be difficult to catch.

Already trailing Cas, Dean decided to stay the course. He ignored the yellow blur of Gabriel’s tail and surged forward with all his might in the hopes of closing the distance between him and Cas. He was close. That blue tail was working hard, the black outline blurring as it cut through the water. He pushed his arms faster until the muscles burned and when he was within arm’s reach, he made his move.

At that moment, he heard a fresh round of cheers coming from Sam and Gabe. Clearly both of the younger brothers were now on base and cheering for their older brothers. Dean reached, fully expecting to get a fist full of Cas’ tail fin. To his surprise, the flash of blue broke its rhythmic swish. The result was his hand just missing its target. Cas pulled to the right and veered back towards base. Dean was closing, and in a final push, he thrust himself forward. His reaching hand came back empty again as Cas slammed into the rock.

“Safe!” they all shouted.

Dean circled once as he absorbed the sting of defeat. Rounding the rock, he found that their game had drawn some attention. Several mothers were watching and clapping and a handful of mermaids were watching too.

“I almost had ya,” he barked at Cas.

“Maybe next time,” his friend grinned at him.

“Again,” Gabe shouted. “Let’s go again!”

“You’re IT,” Cas laughed at Dean, pushing away from the rock.

Rolling his eyes, Dean prepared to lean in and start counting. That’s when he heard Charlie calling to him.

“Can we play?” she asked.

“Sure,” he laughed, welcoming more players, “If you can keep up.”

“We’ll do our best,” the redhead said mockingly.

He was grinning as he watched Charlie and Gilda flit off to hide. Turning his face to the rock, Dean began counting again. Their game was even more fun with the girls playing, and after a few rounds several more maidens had joined in.

“The bros are having fun,” Dean laughed as he pulled Cas into a hiding spot big enough for both of them.

“So are the girls,” he added as he worked his tail around so he could slide into the small space.

“We should play this more often.”

“It’s a baby game.”

“Yeah, but it’s still fun,” Dean countered as they pushed back farther.

“Watch your arm,” Cas hissed, “It’s digging into my side.”

“This isn’t wide enough.”

“You picked it, Dean.”

“Get in front of me and I can slide back more.”

“Ouch, fuck, watch my elbow. Move your arm.”

“Where? There’s nowhere to put it.”

“Put it up over your head.”

“Can’t,” he barked as he tried to lift it and struck nothing but rock, “Can I lay it here?”

Cas didn’t answer aloud, but Dean could feel the water move as his friend nodded agreement. With one of his arms resting on Cas’ shoulder and the other pulled alongside Cas’ tail, Dean felt his friend give a final push.

“Fuck, Cas.”

“Had to get my tail in,” he laughed. “Don’t want Sam to see my fin hanging out. That’s how he got you.”

“Whatever,” Dean said softly as he settled in to wait. “Can you see?”

“Nope.”

“How will we know when to go for it?”

“It’s quiet now. When people start hollering, we’ll make for base.”

Dean gave a nod and let his head relax back on the rough wall behind him. For some reason, though he was far from comfortable, he felt content. All he could see with his eyes was the back of Cas’ head. But he could imagine the impish grin his friend would be wearing as they waited. Under his palm, Cas’ scales were cool and smooth.

“Stop it,” whispered Cas. It was at that moment Dean realized he’d been stroking his hand along Cas’ tail.

“Sorry. Feels like it’s taking forever,” he mumbled, wondering why it was so hard to stop his hand. Now that he’d become aware, he began to realize that he wanted to continue. He liked the feel of Cas’ scales. In fact, he liked the feel of Cas being so close, his friends weight heavy on his body.

Dean’s eyes wandered down his friend’s neck and fixated on the smooth skin that stretched between his shoulder blades. If his arms hadn’t been pinned, it would have been difficult to resist the urge to touch there.

A heartbeat later, Dean absorbed the hard shove as Cas pushed away from him and thrust out of their hiding place. Knowing it was time, Dean pushed himself forward and out into the open. Cas was already halfway to base. There was a flurry of activity as everyone raced for safety. Dean didn’t see Sammy until his brother was right behind him. He pushed himself faster, knowing he could easily outrun his brother. He thumped safely onto base next to Cas who turned to give him a reach-n-slap for having made it safely.

Soon they were being called to eat. Dean said goodbye to his friends and pulled Sammy back to their resting place.

After they ate, it was time to sleep. He curled up with Sam at the back of their cavern and thought of many things as he waited for sleep to take him… school, his friends, and his future as an adult merman.

Dean’s thoughts turned darker as he began to ponder all that seemed to be wrong with him. He wondered why he couldn’t just be interested in a profession that would make his mother smile and why he wasn’t part of the popular group. He also wondered why he couldn’t muster some interest in maidens. The fact that most every boy from school was obsessed with getting some tail and he wasn’t… it just seemed too strange to dismiss. The more he thought of these things, the more tense he got. He did not sleep well.

Because sleep was intermittent, Dean heard his parents when they started mating. This was not the first time he’d overheard them. It had happened before and, though it was a bit gross, he didn’t really mind it. It was just part of life, right? But this time, his body reacted. It was strange to find himself growing hard to their noises, especially since the idea of fucking a mermaid did nothing for him.

Bewildered by his dick’s hopeful yearning, Dean turned his back to Sam and tried to think of pretty mermaids. He gently pushed fingers into his slit and pulled himself out. The water was cool on his engorged cock and it felt good. Even with a concentrated effort to focus on pretty mermaids with colorful tails and bouncing breasts, it was more the sounds of adjacent pleasure that finally had him releasing over his stroking hand. A cloud of milky white shot into the water when he came. Then, finally, his body relaxed enough to fall into a deep sleep. 

At the waking, they all followed the Singer to the Gathering place where Amara and her leadership discussed a suggestion that was voiced from one of the merman who worked as an Explorer.

“You see,” the man was explaining, “we’ve all noticed that dolphins tend to protect smaller creatures from the sharks. They’ve been witnessed defending baby seals from attack and using their noses as battering rams on the ribs of sharks who are trying to take their food. Dolphins fight back. We think that keeping a few dolphins with us when we explore might make the job safer.”

“And how will you keep these dolphins?” Amara asked. “Will you bind them somehow? How will you motivate them to stay with you?”

“It’s easy,” the merman countered, “We’ll feed them. They’re friendly to us already…”

“But how will you teach them when to attack on your behalf?” she interrupted coolly.

“Well,” he said, losing confidence, “I don’t know that we can. I think we’d mostly just trust them to be loyal to us.”

“No,” she said firmly. “It will not work.”

Dean watched as she calmly looked around and asked if there was anything else to discuss. No one answered, so the meeting was dismissed. As Dean was headed over towards the Teachers, Benny swam up next to him.

“Dean, right?”

“Yeah,” he answered, not really sure why Benny was talking to him.

“Yeah, I heard about you. You’ve got a brother, right? Scrawny lil thang with a red tail?”

“Sam,” Dean answered, wanting to be firm and garner at least a modicum of respect.

“Yeah, yeah. Some of the girls were going on about you guys. Said they’d seen ya playin hide-n-seek or some shit.”

“That was just for our brothers,” Dean began, trying to downplay his involvement in a childish game.

“Naw man, that’s cool, that’s cool. Ya know, the maids thought it looked like fun. And I gotta say, I’d play baby games too if I got to pull me some hot tail into a hiding place. The game’s genius. I always knew ya had it in ya, man.”

“Well, I guess if the ladies wanna play, then it doesn’t matter the game, right?”

“Haha,” Benny roared, clapping his back like they were old friends, “Damn straight. Tell you what, Dean, if you weren’t so sold on those losers you hang out with… I’d be inclined to keep you around.”

Hearing Benny bash his friends like that was rough. But having the most popular guy in school finally notice him and want to hang? That _did_ actually take the sting out of it a little.

“Well,” Benny said, pushing away from him and moving towards his regular friends, “See ya around, Dean.”

Exhilarated by the encounter, Dean felt bolstered. He’d been so down on himself the last few cycles that this was just the boost he needed. It wasn’t even just that he’d been singled out by Benny… it was the thinly veiled assertion that Dean was somehow better than his other friends…  that’s what really solidified their exchange as uplifting.

He was still high from their short conversation when Ash bumped up next to him.

“Have ya heard where we’re headed?”

“No,” Dean answered, checking to see if anyone was watching him. “Where we headed?”

“I dunno,” Ash chuckled, “I was askin you.” By then, the Teachers had corralled the Learners and were moving them out.

“Where are we headed?” Cas asked when he swam up to join them.

“No clue,” Dean answered. “I guess we’ll just be surprised.” Trying to be smooth about it, Dean tugged Cas by the arm and pulled him away from Ash. “Man, you’re not gonna believe this. Benny came up to me just now.”

“Really? What did he want?”

“He says him and some chicks wanna play hide-n-seek with us.”

“That’s… unexpected.”

“I know,” Dean squeaked. “Can you believe it?”

“Dean, relax, it’s not that big a deal.”

“Are you kiddin? It’s Benny. The coolest dude in the school.”

“It’s not like we’re the bottom feeders, Dean. Crowley talks to us. So does Lydia. And Meg. She asked me out you know.”

“Which?”

“Meg.”

“Gross.”

“It’s not like I said yes.”

“I know, but she’s…”

Cas cut him off then, “So, when are we playing?”

“He didn’t really say. But keep it quiet cause he was pretty clear that he didn’t want the rest of our friends around.”

“Well, that’s pretty shitty.”

“Well, I kinda get it. I mean…”

“Yes, I know. It’s _Benny_ ,” parroted Cas. His tone suggested that he was far less enthused about this development than Dean. In fact, it almost felt like Cas was belittling Dean for being so excited.

“What’s that mean?” he challenged.

“Nothing I guess,” answered Cas, “It’s just, I don’t like the idea of ditching our friends just so we can hang out with better people.”

Dean was silent. He didn’t like the way it sounded when Cas said it.

“You know what,” Cas added, “I don’t like the implication that they’re better people. I like our friends.”

Dean had no response and the silence stretched out between them, painfully long. But for some reason, Dean could think of nothing else to say. They swam along quietly until reaching their destination. The Depository. This was the large, wide-mouthed cavern where all the food for the entire community was stored, sorted and prepared. It wasn’t the safest place in their Community, but it was heavily guarded and was now boasting an additional line of Guardians so it would be safe enough for Learners to enter.

As their school of young merfolk converged upon the entrance, Dean looked around. The scent of food was strong in the water and even though the water here was cloudy, Dean could see sharks lingering nearby. It was an ominous sight.

“Okay,” Teacher Jody said on a long inhale, “For this cycle we’re going to be touring The Depository. Please stay together no matter what and follow any instructions given by Guardians. Alright?”

A chorus of voices agreed, so she began swimming backwards and everyone followed her inside. Speaking to the group as she led them, Jody explained how the Hunters transported food from their hunting grounds to this place, the methodology of sorting it, and how the meals for the Community were planned. She also told them that the Preparers go out and collect things to compliment what the Hunters bring in… gathering the edible seaweed and greens that were often part of their meals, the shellfish that was gathered by hand and other details that Dean had never thought to ask about before.

As they moved along on their tour, Dean noticed that the work being done seemed very social, everyone laughing and talking and having a good time as they went about their routines.

“… And that’s how it all works,” Jody concluded as their tour came full circle. “Now, for the playbreak, we’re not staying here. We’re in for a real treat. As you’ve been told, our Preparers actually go out and gather quite a bit of what we eat. So, we’re going to be following some of them to a Garden. First you’ll have some time to enjoy it and then, when your break is finished, you’ll all be broken into small groups to learn some of the strategies used when harvesting from a Garden.”

Everyone was thrilled with this news… it was practically a vacation. Spirits were high as they all swam off; their number increased by the dozen or so Gatherers that were making the trip with them.

As they swam along, a celebratory mood had infected the entire group. Michael was having a heck of a time keeping everyone in line. It was chaos. Dean, looking around to catch a glimpse of Sammy, saw Benny making his way over. Aaron was at his side and tailing behind were Bella and Lydia.

“Hey Dean,” Benny greeted, “looks like we got lucky, huh?”

“How so?”

“We’re headed to a Garden. Is there any better place for a game of hide-n-seek?”

“Uh, I guess not,” he stammered, flustered with so many pairs of eyes watching him.

“Good. So why don’tcha ditch those fools you usually hang out with and come hang with us?”

Dean hitched a bit, feeling put on the spot. He’d figured that IF Benny ever wanted to play, it would be at a time in the distant future. He’d had no idea the moment might present itself so soon. He wasn’t ready. He hadn’t had a chance to decide if he was really willing to ditch his friends… or even to warm Cas up to the idea.

“What? You need to think it over or something?” Aaron challenged when Dean didn’t answer fast enough.

“No, man, no,” assured Dean, “Just let me go grab Cas.”

“Dude. Bug eyes ain’t invited,” Aaron barked.

“Bug eyes?” repeated Dean, stunned at hearing that description attached to Cas. Cas, after all, was the handsomest of Dean’s friends… he’d just recently decided so.

“Yeah, brotha,” Benny confirmed. “He stares too much… it’s fuckin’ creepy man. Like he wants to hump or somthin.”

Dean looked around and realized that all the popular kids were nodding along with Benny. Cas was… creepy? Really?

“Um, I don’t know if I can…” he began, but before Dean could even finish his sentence, Aaron was talking right over top of him.

“See,” Aaron spat, “I told you guys he was lame. He probably likes being stared at by ‘Creeper Castiel.’ Hell, they he probly wants to mate with him.”

“Dean,” Benny husked over the disapproving voices of his friends, who seemed to have grown in number during their conversation, “You’re alright, man. I’ve always thought so. But you hang with some sorry friends.”

“Wait!” Dean called when they turned to go. “I- I’m comin.”

“Al- _right_ ,” hollered Benny, stretching towards Dean for a reach-n-slap, “Now you're talkin. Let’s go chase some tail!”

Dean nodded, moving to follow along with Benny and his friends. Casting a pitiful glance over his shoulder, Dean saw Castiel staring after him in disbelief.

Once they arrived at the garden, it didn’t take long to organize the game. Lots of others begged to play, but anyone not part of Benny’s group was harshly rebuked. Dean knew deep down that he’d feel guilty later for bailing on his friends. But it was hard to care about that now, when his entire world had suddenly shifted.

For the first time ever, kids were gathering on the periphery to watch HIM. He was in with the coolest bunch and holding his own. He was fast and rather than running down the mermaids when he could, he teased them with winks and smooth hands and let them keep playing even when he could have easily tagged them. He flattered Benny for seeing this game for what it was… a buffet of mermaids just begging to be dragged off into a dark corner, and he stood his ground against the other members of Benny’s group to show them that he wasn’t a pawn but someone they had to respect.

Did it matter that he wasn’t really having any fun? Fuck no. Did it matter that he had to pretend to think Lydia was hot when really he hated her? Maybe a little. But still… small price to pay. Even being plunged into a dark corner with Bella – and having to pretend to enjoy it when her breasts rubbed against his chest was a small thing in comparison to being the envy of everybody else.

When the Teachers called the end of break and began dividing up the Learners into small groups, Benny tugged Dean along and made sure they were grouped together. As it happened, Dean glanced over and saw Cole and Ash with their heads together whispering and their eyes on him. Clearly they were talking about him. And from the looks they shot him, it wasn’t flattering.

“Dean, that jealousy is somethin ya gotta get used to if you’re gonna hang with this crew,” Benny advised, having seen what Dean saw. “I’m tellin ya. Look around.” Dean did. He spun a slow 360 and took in the entire scene. “Lots of eyes on ya right now, right?” Benny pressed.

Dean didn’t answer.

“Ya know why?”

“Why?”

“Cause they all wanna be where you are,” answered Benny solemnly.

Dean nodded agreement. It was undeniable. And the high was racing through his blood. He’d always wondered what this would feel like. Now he knew.

“Thanks Benny,” he said, extending his hand for a reach-n-slap.

“It ain’t nothin, brotha.”

Dean spent the rest of the their time at the garden enjoying the pulse-pounding thrill of moving with Benny’s crowd. The school returned to The Depository, many hands helping carry the heavy satchels of extras they’d managed to procure from the Garden. As soon as they unloaded, the Preparers were moving in, ready to sort what they’d brought and begin preparing the next meal. As Bobby the Singer passed by, everyone fell in behind him, ready to be led back home.

All the way, Benny and his friends kept Dean with them. It was becoming clearer to him that this wasn’t just a one-time thing for the purposes of a game of hide-n-seek with hot mermaids. This was Dean’s new group, if he wanted it.  

They kept him busy right up to the time he was called in for food, and when they parted company, Benny clapped his shoulder and said, “See ya at the waking, D.”

The new nickname made him smile, and it was invigorating to be the center of attention at home when Sammy recounted for their parents the tale of Dean upgrading to a better group. Later, as he curled up to sleep, Dean wondered what the waking would bring. Intruding on his elation, Cas’ face popped up in his mind a few times. The look of betrayal on his friend’s countenance had been heartbreaking. Guilt niggled at him, chipping away at his happiness. He pushed it aside. Again and again, he had to remind himself that this new life was his for the taking. If he wanted it.

And, yeah. Dean wanted it. Fuck. Yeah.


	4. The Anticipation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you MoniJune, I always appreciate your help!

 

The first few cycles with his new friends were a blur for Dean. Everything was exciting… mostly because it was new. Benny’s group thought about things differently than Dean’s old friends had. They played different games. And now, swimming with the cool kids, there were eyes on him all the time. Everyone looked up to him now. 

With his old friends, Dean had never given much thought to the hierarchy of their group. But, in hindsight, he realized he and Cas had been the top of it. He’d never consciously worked towards that or made his decisions with that mindset though. Now that he was gone, he was sure that someone else had moved up to take his place at Castiel’s side. Since he worked hard not to look in their general direction though, he had no idea who it was.

Nothing was easy with his new crew, so it kept his full attention. Every movement was nuanced. Every spoken word had a double meaning. Benny seemed very committed to having Dean join them, but it hadn’t taken long to notice that his new position at Benny’s right side was an enviable one… something several others were lined up to take from him at any opportunity.

Dean had to acknowledge that if he were like the other young mermen, this life would have one primary and undeniable benefit. Hot mermaids. Sadly, though, Dean’s access to the hottest maids in school wasn’t exactly a dream come true. He still wasn’t feeling even a hint of desire for any of them. In fact, it was a full time job just keeping up appearances with them. He had to flirt constantly – even with the ones he didn’t like. If he didn’t do that, they seemed to grow frustrated by his lack of eagerness. To keep up appearances, he rotated through a mental list of their names to make sure he remembered to flatter each girl at least once per cycle.

His little brother was enjoying a new status too. Sammy had appreciated a bump in his popularity just for being the brother of someone as cool as Dean.

“Hey D,” Benny greeted, swimming up beside him. “How’s it hangin’?”

“It’s there,” he said on an exhale, meaning to joke that it had seen no action.

“Well, I know someone who’d like to help you out with that,” Benny joked, tipping his head to indicate a nearby admirer who’d been caught staring.

Instinctively, Dean winked to placate her and then stared at her for a few moments to make it seem as though he might want her. Then he turned back to Benny who was already going on about something.

“… and so I think that’s what I’m gonna do,” Benny finished.

“What?” questioned Dean, realizing he’d not been listening.

“I said, I’ve been thinkin ’bout being a Hunter. I told Michael, and he said he’d talk to the Leadership. I’ll have to be reviewed before I can train with them.”

“You’ll be a great Hunter,” Dean reassured. It was the first honest thing he’d said in several cycles.

“Your old man was a Hunter, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Dean agreed quietly, not looking Benny in the eye, “But not anymore. He got pretty tore up in a shark attack. Can’t swim good anymore.”

“Hey, you should review with me. If your daddy was a Hunter then they’ll let you try for sure.”

“I don’t know…” Dean began, “… my mom’s really against me doing anything dangerous.”

“Aw, c’mon D,” Benny pushed. “It’ll be more fun if you’re there.”

Flattered by the invitation and unable to think up a suitable reason to decline, Dean agreed. He knew his mother wouldn’t like it, but with Benny by his side instead of Cas, that didn’t seem reason enough anymore. Cas, after all, had known Mary well and her wishes weren’t so easy to ignore. But for Benny… Dean’s mom was of no concern.

As he and Benny fell in with the rest of their group, Dean’s mind was working to rationalize the bad news he was about to give his mother. He’d been considering this anyway, he told himself. He knew he’d not be happy as a Builder or Preparer or even as a Punisher. The adventurous life of the open water called to him. Perhaps it was a good thing he’d started hanging out with Benny’s crowd. They might challenge him to do what he dreamed… push him to do what he secretly wanted to do. This was a good thing, he told himself, a very good thing.

Benny must’ve wasted no time in mentioning Dean’s interest to the Teachers because the very next waking, he was sitting at the gathering with his family when Amara made the announcement that two learners were to be reviewed for training as Hunters. Mary’s jaw dropped when the names were called, and John’s proud smile was simply not reward enough to soothe the ache of guilt that set in when Mary’s eyes dropped to the sea floor and didn’t come up again. She looked so small sitting there in the sand, her eyes fixed on nothing.

“What crawled up your ass?” Benny complained later when they were swimming with the school.

“Nothin,” answered Dean. “It’s just… my mom. She’s not real happy about me training.”

“Well, I didn’t figure she would be. She’s your mom. If I had one, I’m sure she wouldn’t like it either.”

“My dad seemed proud,” Dean tried, not wanting to be a downer.

“That’s for sure,” Benny grinned. “And besides, it’s your life, right? You gotta live it for you.”

“I guess so,” he nodded, artfully glancing away as they passed by his old group of friends.

Just then, Aaron swam up next to them, “Creepy Cas is staring at ya, D. What’s up with that?”

Casting a glance over his shoulder, Dean found Cas looking directly at him. Their gazes locked for a long moment, but Cas didn’t look away like others did when caught staring. His eyes bored holes into Dean, and he felt himself be seen – all the way through to the deepest bottom. It was chilling. Dean felt his pulse quicken as he worked to break their connection, and he grew flustered under the weight of those commanding eyes that knew him so well. Cas had glanced at him a few time since their separation, but never anything like this.

“Creepy,” Dean finally said, when he found the ability to turn away. He nodded towards Aaron, hoping to demonstrate detachment and indifference. But the feel of Cas’ heavy eyes stayed with him for a long time. The weight of it was like a physical thing. Later, during playbreak, Dean was listening to Crowley as he whispered about all the horrid things he planned to do with each of the mermaids. Sick of hearing the dirty details, Dean settled on a question that would both change the subject and possibly encourage Crowley to leave for a while.

“How come you never talk to Cas and those guys anymore?” Dean suddenly asked, interrupting Crowley’s filthy monologue.

“Why would I? You’re with us now. You were the only one I really went over there to talk to… and maybe Cas.”

“Why Cas?” Aaron barked, leaning into the conversation. “He’s creepy.”

“No, he’s not,” Crowley said firmly. “The maidens like him… he’s got sex appeal.”

“The fuck he does,” laughed Aaron.

“Watch,” instructed Crowley, straightening his dark tail and using his fin to point in Cas’ general direction.

Dean and Aaron both followed Crowley’s gesture over toward the place where Cas’ crew was sitting. Meg was making her way over towards Cas, and they all watched as she slithered up next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

Dean found himself uncomfortable as he watched. He’d seen mermaid hands on Cas before, and it had never sat well with him. Cas never seemed in too big a hurry to push away the hands of an eager maiden, and it made Dean want to intercede on his friend's behalf… push the girls away from him since he was too kind to do it himself.

“See?” Crowley prompted. “He’s got her eating out of his hands.”

Dean watched Castiel pull Meg's arm off his shoulders and down into his lap where he appeared to be taking a close look at the beads she wore around her wrist. Then he returned her hand to her lap, rather than up to his shoulders.

“He’s smooth,” Crowley continued. “He knows exactly how to make them want him.”

“How’s that?” he and Aaron both asked in unison.

“He pretends he doesn’t want them,” Crowley replied, his tone inferring disdain at having to explain himself. “It drives them wild with desire. The more he pushes them away, the more they come swimming back. It’s a tactic I’ve been known to use myself… when I can control my hands.”

As he watched Cas, Dean could see that his old friend was not really enjoying Meg’s company. His body was rigid and his eyebrows were knitted into a tense line. For some reason, though they were no longer friends, that detail made him feel a little better. Later, when they were called back from break, Dean glanced back once more at this old friends. Now that he’d allowed himself to look for the first time in a long time, he found that he’d missed them far more than he’d realized. Cas most of all.

 

Dean was getting used to life with his new friends and as cycles came and went, he settled into his new routine. It wasn’t much different with Benny’s group than it had been with his old friends. They hung out together at school and then found each other after to hang out. And, not surprisingly, their talk and games relentlessly revolved around mermaids. At least before, Cas had seemed to share Dean’s reluctance to dwell on the topic of maidens for too long. Here, with Benny’s group, there was no ally in that respect. Added to which, there were far more mermaids to contend with in Benny’s group, and that made it even more challenging to keep up appearances with them.

Dean eventually stopped working so hard to not look at his old friends. Originally, he’d averted his eyes because he didn’t want to see them looking back at him with betrayal, anger, judgment, or condemnation on their faces. But after the time when Cas had stared him down unapologetically, his old friend had never looked over at him again. Neither had any of his other ex-friends. Since none of them even glanced his way anymore, it became easier to watch them whenever he wanted.

As time went by, Dean found himself hovering around one continuous thought. I. Am. So. Unhappy.

It didn’t seem fair to complain though. He had it all. Everyone was jealous of him. After all, he had everything a young merman could dream of. He had TWO living parents AND a BROTHER. No doubt, he was richly blessed. He was good looking too. Who could deny it with so many mermaids vying for his attention? Plus, he was best friends with the coolest dude in school. Yep, Dean had it all. And, surprisingly, Benny had turned out to be a real friend. At first he’d thought the camaraderie between them was just for show – like everything else in his new world. But as they’d gotten to know each other, Benny had proven to be a fast ally. He looked out for Dean. Hell, Benny looked out for all his friends. He might be choosy about who he let into his group, but his loyalty was assured for those that he surrounded himself with. So, here was Dean, having everything he could imagine but feeling worse than he ever had before. It seemed especially vile to mope around when the entire school looked at him with such undisguised envy.

The loneliest times were when he was meant to be sleeping. Tucked in beside Sammy, his mind would wander as it always had. But now, it wandered inevitably back to Cas. He missed his friend so much that it hurt inside. Sometimes he’d have dreams that they were together again… exploring or playing with their brothers. Those were the sweetest of dreams. But, almost always they ended with a glimpse of Castiel’s stricken face – the way it had looked when Dean had swam off with Benny and left his friend behind.

“Are you okay, Dean?” Sammy asked from beside him.

“Yeah,” he answered dismissively, “just a bad dream, I guess.”

“You said his name.”

“Who?”

“Cas.”

“Oh.” Dean was silent for a moment, not really knowing what to say.

“You miss him,” Sam added. It wasn’t a question.

“A little, I guess,” Dean allowed. “It’s not a big deal. Get some sleep, Sammy.”

“Why not just bring him over to play?” Sam inquired, ignoring Dean’s attempt to end the conversation.

“No.”

“Why not? Because of your new friends?”

“I guess so.”

Sam let out a huff and the gurgling bubbles floated up to the ceiling of their little cave. “I was happy for you when you started swimming with Benny and those guys,” Sam said softly, “But I just thought you were making new friends. I didn’t realize it meant dumping your old ones.”

“It wouldn’t work to try and be friends with both. None of those guys like any of my other friends. Especially Cas.”

“So?”

“So… it wouldn’t work,” replied Dean.

“Then tell them to fuck off,” barked Sam, looking at Dean with challenging eyes. “What kind of dude just shits on his friends to move up?”

Dean wilted under Sam’s scrutiny. The rebuke had cut him deeply. For as long as Dean had been a brother, Sam had been looking up to him. To know that Sammy was thinking less of him was a crushing weight that settled on his chest and made it difficult to breathe.

“Dean,” prompted Sam, still waiting for an answer, “Dean?”

“Yeah.”

“Come play with me tomorrow after school. Just tell those guys you need to spend time with your brother. We can go over to Cas n Gabe’s place. It’ll be like old times.”

“Can’t.”

“Says who?”

“Me. I say.”

“But why?” his brother pleaded. “I know you want to. I can tell.”

“It won’t work, Sammy. You think I can just show up at Castiel’s place and we’ll just start playing games like nothing ever happened? He hates me now.”

“Cas might be mad at you, Dean, but he could never hate you. Just give him the apology you know he deserves, and he’ll accept it. Things can go back to normal.”

“There’s no going back, Sammy,” whispered Dean, his mind flashing back to the time Cas had stared him down during play break. That had been the real end of things; Dean could see that now. “It’s done now and there’s no going back,” he repeated. “I’m sorry, but it’s true.”

“I think…”

“No, Sammy. You’re wrong. Just because we miss hanging out with them doesn’t mean they miss hanging out with us.”

“I don’t miss hanging out with them,” Sam replied sharply, “because I still do. It’s you, Dean, you’re the one I miss. I want you back… like it was before. And I don’t think I’m the only one.”

“Maybe,” Dean allowed, “maybe if I had fixed it right away, there would have been a chance. He used to look over at me sometimes… like he knew I’d be back. Like he was waiting. If I had gone and said sorry then, I would’ve had a prayer. But not anymore. He hasn’t even looked at me in a long damn time. He’s over it. I need to be too.”

“I don’t think it’s too late, Dean,” Sammy whispered, turning to face the other way, “I think you want it to be too late. I think you like how things are, and you don’t want to change them.”

Sam was wrong about Castiel, and Dean knew it. But so much stronger than the hurt he’d been nursing up until now, was the pain of this new knowledge… the knowledge that Sam no longer looked up to Dean like he used to. The fact that Sam now saw his big brother as “the kind of guy who shits on his friends” was a pain beyond measure. He laid there, miserable, even when Sammy had fallen back asleep. It was hard to tell which was worse, having Sammy think so little of him – or – knowing that Sammy was right about him.

He’d not slept at all when the Singer went by in the morning. Without speaking, Dean moved out of their resting place with his family and headed to the meeting. He sat through the gathering, paying little attention, and then swam off to school in a daze.

For the past few cycles they’d been stationed at The Boneyard. This had always been one of Dean’s least favorite sites. But, it was a little bit different this time. With each new cycle, a small group of Learners was formed who would leave the monotonous work of The Boneyard to follow Builders out into open waters. The groups were simply meant to tag along and learn how to seed a new reef, but anything out in open water was enticing to Dean. He waited impatiently, hoping for his name to be called, eager for his turn to go. After his talk with Sammy during the resting cycle, the last thing Dean wanted was to work a monotonous job where his mind would be free to revisit all his troubles. It would be much nicer to have a little adventure today.

No such luck.

He wound up toiling away, his hands busy and his mind circling. He and Benny had recently been approved for training as Hunters. That would be starting soon, and Dean tried to keep himself occupied with thoughts of how exciting that would be. Instead, his thoughts kept looping back around to try and pinpoint the moment when he became a shitty guy.

At break, Dean hung with his new friends. But, he watched Cas surreptitiously over Aaron's shoulder, waiting and hoping for the guy to turn his head even once. One look… that’s all he wanted. Just let Cas look over at him. If he could see those eyes, even for a moment, he’d know if there was any chance at redemption.

When playbreak was over, Dean grudgingly turned away. Cas hadn’t looked his way even once. He’d spent the entire break talking and laughing and having a good time. As they were swimming back to resume their work, Benny stayed at Dean’s side and asked, “Where do they have ya workin’?”

“Grinding bones.”

“I saw your brother get picked for the seeding group,” Benny added. “Ya oughta check with him when you get home and see which Garden they went to. Most everyone else has already gone… I bet at the waking it’ll be our turn. I wanna know where we’re goin’.”

“Sure,” Dean agreed, “I’ll find out.”

They parted company then, Dean heading off to grind bones into paste and Benny heading back to the sorting pile where he was stationed. With some effort, Dean managed to keep his thoughts mostly under control for the rest of the cycle. He spent his time pondering exciting times in open water, rather than how shitty of a person he’d become.

When it was time to leave, Dean followed Bobby the Singer home. He’d never felt so low. He missed Cas. It was pointless to pretend otherwise. Yeah, his new friends were enviable and Benny was turning out to be more of a real friend than Dean had ever expected. But still, his heart ached for wanting Castiel beside him. It just didn’t feel right to be without him anymore; honestly it never had.

As he swam up to the entrance of his resting place, Dean was surprised to find an Attendant floating near the mouth of his cave. When he drew near to her, she addressed him by name.

“Dean, my name is Auralia.”

Something was wrong. Dean worked to form words. Despite his mouth opening, no sound came out.

“I’m here,” she continued, “because there’s been a problem.”

He nodded, still unable to speak. His mind was churning sluggishly, trying to focus on what she was about to tell him at the same time that it tried to predict what she might say and who she might say it about.

“Several Learners were bitten while out in open water. I’m afraid your brother, Samuel, was one of them.”

Dean felt his heart give a heavy and pronounced thud. The echo of it resonated throughout his body for long enough that he wondered if it would beat again.

“The injured have been transported to an empty cavern in The Grotto, and your parents are already there with him. If you’d like to see him, I can take you.”

“Y-Yes,” he forced out, instinctively pulling away from the hand she tried to lay on his shoulder in reassurance. She tipped her head gently, a soft acknowledgment that she understood he did not wish to be comforted.

When she turned demurely, he followed the motion and they swam side by side along the rock formation that housed many caves like the one that Dean and his family lived in. Others in the area must’ve known what was happening because there was an uncanny silence in the waters around them. It wasn’t just a lack of sound, but of vibration as well. Total stillness under the weight of water. Other merfolk were around, looking out from their resting places as Dean and Auralia swam past, but Dean barely noticed them. All he could think of was his brother. He wondered how badly Sammy was hurt, if he would die, and how his parents were taking this. It seemed grossly unfair that anything should happen to little Sammy when he was so kind and good hearted. By comparison, Dean felt wretched and deserving of vicious wounds. Scars.

As they came around the bend, Dean could see the telltale signs of blood in the water. Sharks. They waited nearby, gliding through the water in a graceful back and forth swish, their steely eyes fixated on the entrance to a heavily guarded cave. The Guardians outnumbered the sharks, at least for now, and the scene was relatively calm.

Auralia moved slowly and purposefully as they swam into the area, and Dean mimicked her movements, having been taught from an early age not to swim erratically around predators.  They hugged the wall as they moved into the darkness of an unfamiliar cave. The scent of blood in the water was light, and Dean found himself hopeful.

There were several families crowded into the cave and as Dean followed Auralia past clusters of parents and children, he heard fragments of their whispered conversations. Nothing sank in though… not really. Not until he heard the one voice he’d been aching to hear.

“…it’s okay, I think it makes me look cool…” Sammy was saying as Dean swam up.

Dean’s eyes landed first on his brother’s smiling face and then slid appraisingly down his body looking for damage. There was a wide bandage over his forearm, dark seaweed bound up tight. Dean’s gaze skimmed right over it, dismissing it as minor and trailed down his brother’s abdomen and then his tail. Near the bottom was a large binding, right above his fin. It was hardly minor, judging by the size of the packing, but Dean wasn’t one to complain. Sammy was alive and intact. No missing limbs, no torn fin, nothing that would keep him from making a recovery.

“What happened?” he asked as he settled in at his brother’s side.

“They were just little reef sharks,” Sam explained. “I guess I don’t really know what provoked the first bite, but once there was blood in the water, they all started in on us. There were so many.”

“How big were they?”

“Well, most were smaller than me.”

“That’s not sayin’ much,” Dean teased lovingly, “You’ve grown as big as a great white.”

“Lucky I grew up listening to my brother brag about punching a shark,” Sam laughed back at him. “I didn’t even blink, Dean, I just went for it.”

“The Guardians said you were very brave,” Dean’s father encouraged. It was hard not to chuckle at the look Mary gave John.

“I’m so glad you’re alright,” she cooed, running her fingers through Sam’s hair.

They stayed like that for a while, Sam regaling them with the story of his ordeal. Their small group of Learners had been spread out along the length of a new garden, following the instructions of Builders who had them depositing both paste and shards in a cross hatching pattern. When a few small sharks had swept in among them, it had been unexpected. Since they were small and relatively harmless, the Guardians had let them pass into the perimeter they’d set up. Sadly, though, not everyone had kept their cool. A few of the more flighty mermaids had begun to thrash about and squeal. That had been the beginning of the chaos, but Sam wasn’t really sure what had actually prompted the first bite. What he had noticed was how quickly the numbers had grown. No matter how small a shark is, if there are dozens and dozens of them, there will be chaos.

To hear Sam tell it, there were maybe a hundred by the time he’d sustained his first bite. The Guardians had been fully engaged in defending them, and had sustained no serious injuries. They’d then enveloped the injured Learners and kept a tight formation around them as the Teachers helped the injured swim back to the Community.

Looking around the cave, Dean took in the other families that were here with wounded children. They’d all been very lucky. This could have been so much worse.

When Sam’s attention had turned fully to Mary, Dean leaned into his father’s ear and gestured at his brother’s tail. “How bad is that?” he asked.

“He’ll swim fine, but it’ll leave one hell of a scar,” John said wryly.

“When can he come home?”

“He’ll have to stay until he’s had a dressing change with no fresh blood,” John said. “You know the drill.”

Dean nodded understanding, and they spent the rest of the cycle there. Attendants brought them food and eventually they all laid down to rest. It was difficult for Dean to sleep here, even after everyone else had grown quiet. Maybe it was just hard to relax knowing that there were sharks encroaching. Maybe he was just keyed up from worrying over his brother. Or, maybe, he was being kept awake by the same things that had been keeping him awake more and more often. He tried to relax; he did.

But, when he saw several Guardians enter the mouth of the cave and trade off with those that had been resting, Dean realized that the resting cycle was half over already. As weary men laid down their weapons and tried to sleep, Dean tried too, but he failed.

He was still awake when a set of new Attendants swept in to relieve the ones who’d been staying with them. Bandages were removed, angry bite marks were cleaned, new lengths of woven plants replaced the old ones. Sam’s arm had looked a little worse than Dean had been expecting under the bandage and his tail had looked slightly better than he’d been imagining. With his brother ready to leave, their family waited for the Singer to pass by, and then Dean stayed back as his mother and father jointly lifted Sam and swam out of the cavern. Dean watched his brother’s body, suspended limply between his parents’ arms, and he wondered how long it would be before Sammy could use his tail.

When the Singer passed by their resting place, John and Mary veered toward it with Sammy between them. Dean followed and so did an Attendant. School was out of the question for Sam, and so Dean opted to also miss out. He spent the entire waking cycle at home for the first time since he was a Fledgling. John had gone off to work, and Mary spent most of the day chatting with the Attendant whose name Dean couldn’t even remember. Sammy slept most of the time. It was boring as fuck.

When the Singer passed by again, marking the end of the waking cycle, Gabriel swooshed into their small space. He spiraled around, churning up bubbles and eliciting laughter from Sam. 

“Hey,” he greeted, “how’s my best friend the chew toy?”

Dean hadn’t realized until this very moment how much he’d missed Gabe’s stupid wisecracks and rowdy behavior.

“I think you have a visitor out there,” Gabe said, looking at Dean.

“Me?” he asked.

“Yeah, you,” Gabe said sarcastically. Then he looked over at Sam and said of Dean, “Not very bright, that one. Lucky he’s good lookin.”

Dean rolled his eyes and moved to exit the cave as he wondered idly who might have come to see him. Perhaps Benny was popping by to see when he’d be back at school. It was hard not to show shock on his face when he came eye to eye with Castiel.

Dean had no idea what to say. His mouth was hanging open like sea carp, and he couldn’t seem to will it to close. Or speak.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Heya, Cas,” he finally managed. Gulp.

“I heard about Sam,” he said softly, his eyes locked on Dean. “I had to come and see if you were alright.”

“Well,” Dean stammered, “Yeah, man, we’re fine I guess. I mean, he’s bandaged up pretty good. But he’ll pull through.”

“He’s tough,” nodded Cas, “like his brother.”

Dean felt a strange prickling in his eyes, and he squinted against it. His lip quivered too, and he worked to hold it still as he ventured, “I can’t…” Dean had no idea how to finish his sentence. There were just so many things he wanted to say and though suddenly presented with an opportunity to say them all, he couldn’t even find the words for one.

“I guess I’ll go in and see Sam,” Cas said softly, tipping forwards like he was about to swim away.

“Wait,” Dean begged, hating how weak his voice sounded. Cas ceased all movement and looked at Dean. The eyes he’d been hoping to look into for so long now blinked at Dean. Cas was just floating there, waiting for him to speak. Still, his mind was reeling and coming up blank. The urge to throw his arms around Cas was strong – it was a ridiculous compulsion but it was overwhelming. At his sides, Dean’s fists clenched as he suppressed the urge to reach out. When the words came, they were meaningless dribble.

Unable to really say anything of consequence, Dean hovered on the pretext of saying something. “I just… I mean, guess I just…” again his voice trailed off. He’d never felt so inadequate in all his life. Cas was just waiting there, looking like everything Dean had ever wanted or needed. There was no malice in his eyes. “I can’t believe you still care,” he finally blurted out. “After everything I’ve done… you still care.”

“Of course, Dean.” It was said with such a reassuring tone that Dean found the will to slow his racing thoughts. Cas was going to be patient with him. Not wanting to waste the precious gift he was being given, Dean said the most honest thing there was to say.

“I hate myself.”

Cas said nothing in response. But he floated there, just out of reach, and allowed Dean what he needed. Time.

“I wish I could take it all back,” he continued. “I’d give anything to go back to how things were.”

“You seem happy with your new friends, Dean.”

“I’m not,” he admitted, hating to show weakness even now. But he forced himself to be honest once more and added, “I miss you.”

Cas’ stern expression seemed to break a little. The minute trace of a smile played at the corner of his mouth. “Me too.”

With that said, Dean could hold back no longer. Heaving his body forward, he threw his arms around Cas and hoped beyond all reason that he’d not be pushed away.

When he felt Cas’ arms curl in around him, Dean’s heart broke. “I was such a fool,” he sighed against Castiel’s neck. “When I think about it now, I can’t even remember why I did it in the first place. But,” Dean said seriously, pulling back just enough to look Cas in the eye, “I swear I’ll never do it again.”

Cas wasn’t releasing Dean from the circle of his arms. With their faces so close, it was hard to read his friend’s facial expression, but it seemed hopeful. “I mean it,” Dean tried to reassure, “I’ll never ditch you again. Ever. I swear it. I swear it on my… on my… on Sammy. I swear it on Sammy. Never. Again.”

One hug just didn’t seem enough so he leaned back in, feeling Cas’ arms wrap tightly around him for the second time and reveling in the forgiveness he was being afforded. “Never,” he added one last time for good measure. It felt so good to be held like this, and Dean didn’t even notice it when he went too far.

“Dean,” Cas whispered stiffly, “your tail.”

“Oh,” he said, startled by his own actions. He released Cas from his grip and felt Cas’ arms slide away from him. He’d not even noticed that his tail had wound itself around Cas’ while they were embracing. But his friend’s face was crimson as he extracted himself self-consciously. Looking around for the first time, he wondered if anyone had seen what he’d done. The twining of tails really wasn’t something that happened between friends. It was a lover’s gesture, and a deep one at that, normally reserved for bonded pairs. Mates.

“I – I didn’t meant to do that,” he said out loud, wondering again what was wrong with him and why he couldn’t just be normal.

“It’s okay, Dean,” Cas reassured. “It’s just good to have you back. And I’m glad Sam’s okay. I’m going to go in and see him now, okay?”

“Okay.” Dean let Cas swim past him and then followed him inside. Sam and Gabe were playing shells when they entered and everyone, including Mary, greeted Cas enthusiastically and thanked him for coming.

Sammy looked back and forth between the older brothers, obviously wondering if the two had reconciled. Dean gave a nod in answer and settled in next to Cas on the floor. Sam was beaming as the four began playing together for the first time in ages… as if not a day had passed. Dean’s chest stayed tight for most of the game as he treasured his best friend and thought, not for the first time, about just how lucky he really was. The thought stayed with him long after Cas and Gabe had gone home. And with that gratitude still lingering, he slept better than he had in a long time.

The waking brought with it a slight sense of foreboding. Yes, he had his best friend back. And, no, he didn’t fear the reprisals he’d get at school when he went back to his old group or the loss of the cool friends that he knew would now turn their backs on him. None of that mattered as long as Cas was beside him. But, it was impossible not to notice the lump in his throat. That, he assumed, was for Benny. After all, Dean had come to rely on him as a real friend and not a fake one. He’d miss the giant tuna.

There was an announcement by Amara during the Gathering about the shark attack, during which she applauded the bravery of the Guardians who had managed to pull all the injured Learners from the scene of the attack without a single casualty. This feat was met with applause and cheers by the crowd.

Afterwards, Dean parted ways from his father and went off to find Castiel. When the two swam up to the school together, Dean was watching for Benny. The moment his friend caught sight of Dean with Cas, he seemed to know. But, unexpectedly, he swam over anyway.

“Sup, D?”

“Not much,” Dean answered, not entirely sure what to say.

“How’s your lil bro?”

“He’s okay. There’s a good chunk missing from his fin and a decent scar on his arm.”

“The maids will dig it,” Benny reassured, giving Cas a cursory nod of acknowledgement and nothing more.

“Yeah,” laughed Dean. “Sammy thinks he’s a badass cause he punched a shark.”

“Oh,” replied Benny, eyebrows raised as though the action did indeed make Sammy a bad ass.

“Yep. Just don’t ask him how big it was cause then he’ll have to lie.”

Benny grinned and nodded along with Dean’s joke, and then he asked the obvious question. “You gonna be sittin with us over break today? Or you made other plans?”

For this, Dean was ready. “Benny, man, I can’t thank you enough. Everything you’ve done for me, I’ll never forget it. But…”

“End of the line?” Benny interrupted, not waiting for Dean to finish.

“Yeah, man. I guess so.”

“Alright,” Benny said solemnly, extending his hand for a reach-n-slap, “Don’t be a stranger now, D.”

“You got it,” he answered with a heavy nod when their palms connected. With that, Benny turned and left. Dean had done the best he could to show Benny that he hoped they’d remain friendly, but he didn’t hold much hope. Even though Dean’s group of friends were far from being outcasts, he’d always been aware of the vast chasm that separated the two groups. He knew that his time of acceptance among Benny’s friends was over now, and he considered it a victory to have his transition be as smooth as this.

When the school started to move, its members all following along the behind the Teacher, Ash swam up beside him and Cas.

“I knew you couldn’t stay away,” Ash teased.

In response, Dean lurched into Ash’s space and bumped their shoulders together. “Damn straight,” he replied. After that, the three fell back in together as though nothing had ever happened. Cole was less welcoming, but he seemed to be unwilling to be the only one not speaking to Dean. So, once he and Garth had patched things up, Cole gave up the last of his haughty pretenses.

“Look!” said Cas, thumping Dean’s arm, “Look, look!”

Following Cas’ pointing finger with his eyes, Dean saw an approaching pod of dolphins. The school and the pod met in passing and there was an uproar of excitement from the Learners as it happened. Many, like Dean and Cas, pushed their palms out and tried to touch one of the dolphins as the skimmed by. Likewise, the dolphins pushed in close, letting curious fingers run down their sides while chirping enthusiastic greetings.

“You know what this means,” Cole said as a wide smile spread over his face.

“Mating cycle soon,” Ash crowed, exchanging a reach-n-slap with Cole. “We might finally be old enough to get some,” he added. Around them, other young mermen were uttering similar hopes.

When they finally arrived at The Boneyard, Jody announced that there was one group who had yet to go out to the new garden and learn seeding practices. Sadly, she told them, that group would have to wait. At the present time, there weren’t enough Guardians available to travel with them to ensure their safety. But, she did assure them that they would eventually have their turn. Dean sighed at having to wait, but at least he wound up assigned to the same work area as Cas for this cycle.

The two were able to spend most of the day catching up as they toiled side by side. Dean spent his playbreak with his old friends and it was such a joy to just enjoy his time, rather than being forced to keep up appearances as he’d had to do when hanging with the cool kids. Crowley meandered over for a few minutes, joking that Dean was making him dizzy with so much friend hopping. Then he looked over at Cas and said, “Long time no see.”

Cas nodded absently in acknowledgement, and when Crowley swam off, Meg followed. Dean had to admire Cas in that moment. His friend wasn’t one to fake it for Crowley – or anyone else. Observing his friend’s straightforward and honest behavior, Dean decided in that moment to be more like Cas. He’d stop pretending to like people he didn’t. It was disingenuous.

As Dean acknowledged that fact, he felt a click of recognition. Lately he’d spent so much time trying to figure out what had been the tipping point in his journey towards becoming a shitty person. Now he could see it clearly. Pretending. That had been his downfall. It had started out small… just making nice with Crowley when he’d visit, even though Dean really didn’t care much for him. After that, he’d grown more and more willing to pretend that he liked things and people and games and jobs that he didn’t. It had been a downward spiral that had ultimately led him to misery – a life filled with things he had to tolerate and completely devoid of the things he actually cared about. Hell, in the end, he’d even traded away Sam to some extent. Nope. Never again. He knew what was most important now.

After school, Cas and Gabe came over to hang out with Sammy. They played shell games again, something Sam could join in while nursing his wounds. Just a few cycles later, Sam returned to school. He was a bit slower than usual, his arm and tail still bound, but he made the most of it. Dean was back into his old routine, but to his surprise, Benny hadn’t completely cut him out. He still swam up and talked to Dean every now and then, and Dean was glad they’d been able to salvage a bit of friendship from their time together. Both were looking forward to their upcoming training as Hunters, and it was this topic that dominated most of their conversations. Well, that and the upcoming mating cycle. Amara had announced it that morning at the Gathering, though with the increasing number of dolphin sightings, most merfolk had known it was coming.

“Ah, this speech again,” Benny laughed to Dean as they pretended to listen when their Teacher, Jody, announced to the school that they’d be taking a trip to Hot Waters at the coming waking.

Dean rolled his eyes in an exaggerated fashion to show that he too was bored with hearing this same information about the trip with each new mating cycle.

“How many more times are we going to have to make that stupid trip?” Benny complained in a whisper as Jody went on speaking, “I don’t need to see the volcano. I need to bury this in something.”

Dean burst out laughing then, seeing Benny cup himself as he said it.

“Quiet down,” Michael barked from behind them.

Chastised, both he and Benny fell silent. They waited through the entire speech about the coming journey. The youngest Learners, the ones who’d never gone before, were so excited they could barely keep still. When the talk was finished, Jody began assigning the youngest to mentors. As they waited, Dean was tapped gently. Turning to see who wanted his attention, Dean found Michael looking straight at him.

“Follow me,” he said firmly, gesturing to show that his order included both Benny and Cas who were on either side of him.

Wordlessly, they swam off after Michael and stayed behind him as he also pulled aside a dozen or so other senior Learners. Among them were Crowley, Aaron, Cole, and several others that Dean knew well. Michael led them away from the school and back out into open water. As they left the relative safety of their school, two Guardians fell in with them.

“Where are we going?” someone ventured.

“The Dead Reef,” Michael replied. “You boys have an appointment with the Leadership.”

No one spoke after that, not quite sure what to make of the situation. But once they arrived and gathered around Victor, the right hand merman of Amara, it was soon obvious why they’d been summoned here.

“Welcome,” he said loudly to the group. “Soon, each of you will be transitioning out of school and into your professions. Once you’ve each chosen your life’s work, you’ll begin doing it. Now that you’ve reached this pinnacle age, you will no longer be traveling to Hot Waters during the Mating Ritual. You will be participants.”

There was a long, exaggerated pause. It was as if Victor had delivered this same speech many times before, and already anticipated having to allow for the chorus of hoots and hollers that followed as almost twenty horny young boys found out that they’d soon become men.

Despite Dean’s previous reservations about the ritual, something deep inside him pulsed and churned at the thought of it. His cock began to grow inside its pouch, and he had to will it down. At that moment, his thoughts flashed back to the scintillating feeling of lust that had grown in him on the occasions when he’d inadvertently overheard his parents fucking. He remembered how it had felt to build against his stroking palm and the euphoria of releasing, albeit alone, as he climaxed. The idea of mating made his tummy twist pleasurably. Perhaps this was it. Perhaps, finally, he was beginning to feel the elusive desire for mermaids that everyone else seemed to take for granted.

“Yeah, yeah,” Victor placated. “Calm down everybody.”

Around Dean, the water was turbulent as young men plunged about giving each other reach-n-slaps. The sound of their shouts was loud, and Dean had to laugh as his own friends sought out his palm in celebration. He slapped hands with all who passed by him, mostly joyful that he didn’t have to try and fake enthusiasm for this.

“Enough!” Victor finally ordered. The group finally quieted then, listening as he continued by giving them a vague idea of what they could expect.

There would be no food preparation during the ritual. No one would eat. Additionally, no one would return to their resting places for sleep. The entire Community would spend the next few cycles at the Gathering place, mating when they felt like it and resting when they needed it.

“The idea,” he carefully reminded them, “is to conceive. So, in the interest of maximizing the possibility of creating life, I have some words of advice for all of you, as you go into your first Mating Cycle. First of all, the dolphins gather with us. It’s to be expected so don’t be put off by it. In fact, they tend to circle on the periphery and engage in their own activities. We discourage trying to touch them because they tend to get over excited and try to join in OUR Mating Cycle. I don’t think I need to tell you boys that we’re not interested in encouraging that behavior.

Dean grinned as he heard several guys around him snickering.

“Secondly, I must tell you, it’s important to rest after you’ve released. Physically, you might feel ready to go again just a few minutes later. But in reality, moving quickly from one conquest to the next seems to diminish the amount of expenditure you’ll deliver. We recommend waiting a bit longer in between, just to make sure that when you release again – you’re delivering a viable load.”

Dean almost chuckled. This was the longest he’d ever listened intently to anything. Ever.

“Now, as the cycle nears its natural climax, many maidens become willing to allow more than one mate at a time. There’s nothing wrong with this, if it’s done correctly. However, if it’s done incorrectly then we wind up wasting valuable chances at conception. So, it’s time for you boys to have a lesson in anatomy.”

“I know where my dick is,” Crowley laughed, gesturing obscenely with his hand.

The rest of the group burst out laughing. Victor, clearly working to maintain patience with their group, paused to wait for their respectful silence before speaking again.

“Yes,” he then said, “all of you know where your dick is, especially if you’ve been playing with yourselves as much as Crowley has.”

This time, Victor wore a wide smirk as he waited for the laughter to die down. “All merfolk have a slit right about here,” he said as he gestured toward his own. “For the mermen, if we gently open this slit we will expose our genitalia. But that’s not the only thing hiding down there is it boys?”

There was a small trace of bashful laughter rippling through the group, because whether a merman had to piss or shit, that business was done from that same slit.

“That’s right boys. I think you’re starting to see my point here. You’ve all got an asshole hiding up in there. Well, guess what. Mermaids have one too.”

“Mermaids can’t shit,” Ash laughed. Another burst of raucous laughter swelled from the group in response.

“They don’t fart either,” someone chimed in.

“I assure you,” Victor said calmly, “they can do both. Just. Like. You.”

Dean looked over at Cas then. His friend had been silent since they’d arrived. Cas glanced over at him and then refocused his attention on Victor. Castiel was typically more serious about things than Dean was, but it was strange to see him so stoic considering the nature of today’s lesson.

When everyone had grown quiet again, Victor continued by saying, “I hate to think you boys need me to explain this to you, but I’ll do it anyway. Take aim carefully. Whether you’re one-on-one or doubling up… hit the right hole gentlemen.”

This was the most Dean had ever laughed in a single sitting.

“Message received,” Ash cackled. “Steer clear of the poop chute.”

“So eloquently put, son,” Victor said pointedly. “Now, I know what you’re all thinking. I was your age once. Right now, you boys don’t care about conception or ensuring the survival of our species. You just want to do what feels good. But, if we’re pumping load after load into the wrong hole then we’ve failed. This isn’t just about feeling good. You mermen are going to produce the seed of our next generation. Don’t take it so lightly. I promise that you can be careful and still have your fun. Your time has come, boys. You’re all going to get what you’ve been craving.

“Yeah,” Crowley snarked, “some of us more than others.”

Dean chuckled as he watched Victor struggle to keep from laughing.

“Trust me when I say this,” Victor continued, “Halfway through the ritual, the mermaids will be so crazed that they’ll stop counting how many they’ve had. Even the ugly dudes are gonna get laid. Just remember what I said, okay? Watch where you put your cock. Shoot your load where it belongs okay?”

“Yes sir!” they responded enthusiastically. Their group lingered a long time, Victor answering questions and explaining things. When they finally rejoined the school, it was past playbreak. Dean joined in the work being done, and a short time later a large group of mermaids joined as well. Amara had brought them to the work site. Seeing them approach, Dean realized that the maidens had been off having their own version of the talk that he and the boys just had. He smiled thinking of the irony. The sex they were all about to have would be very public… why waste time separating men and women to discuss the finer points? As he considered that, it made him VERY curious as to what was discussed in the female version of their sex talk.

There had been lots of references to the coming ritual over the past few cycles. But now that Amara had made an official announcement to the Community, the expectation was palpable. Dean could see the evidence of it everywhere. The mermaids were preening for attention and whispering amongst themselves… likely doing the same thing Dean and his friends were doing… picking out who they most wanted to partner with when the time came.

As they all followed the Singer at the end of the waking cycle, Dean noticed behaviors among the adults that he’d likely been oblivious to as a youngster. There were little touches here and there, a stranger’s hand brushing along someone’s back or side, fingertips trailing a smooth tail as it slithered by. Mermen were brushing up against mermaids as they swam past. Mermaids were squaring their shoulders and pushing their breasts out… not pushing away hands that brushed over their bodies as they swam.

Being amidst such undisguised desire was playing games with Dean’s body. His cock was chubby, barely concealed under his scales, a noticeable bump. He wasn’t the only one. Beside him, Cas was largely quiet as they swam. Probably just taking it all in… noticing it for the first time, much like Dean was. Clearly there was something to look forward to because everyone, literally everyone, was hungrily anticipating.

When he arrived back at his resting place, Sammy was at his side. They entered the cavern, Sammy excited about his coming trip to Hot Waters and rambling on about it.

“Oh, Sammy, you’ll have so much fun,” Mary placated as Sam chattered to her about it. Dean was having trouble stifling his laughter. His baby brother rambled on and on about the things he’d be seeing and doing, blissfully unaware that there was anything unusual going on.

It was completely normal for John to pull Mary into his lap, or for the two of them to sit like that as they ate the evening meal. But, Dean’s eyes were opened now. He was fully aware. His mother was leaning back against his father and as she did, his hands were stroking her side. Each time she leaned forward to ask Sam a question, she was grinding on John. Dean’s father seemed unable to hold back a look of satisfaction at the movement each time it was repeated.

“Hey, Sammy,” Dean interrupted, “do you think you’re up for a game of hide and seek?”

“Oh yeah!” he exclaimed, pushing up from the floor. “I’m almost as good as new. If you guys promise not to use your arms when you chase me… I think it’ll be a fair game.”

“Okay then,” Dean said. “Why don’t you go see if Cas and Gabe want to join us?”

Sammy was gone in a blink.

Once his brother was gone, Dean turned to chastise his parents. “You guys can’t hold that back til the little squirt is gone?”

“Aww, c’mon, Dad,” John joked to Dean, “he didn’t notice.”

“Well, I noticed,” Dean retorted, “and I have to eat again at some point.”

Dean watched his parent’s chuckle at his embarrassment. “We’re sorry,” Mary said sweetly. “It’s just that, well, your father and I haven’t been to a Mating Cycle together in a very long time.”

“Yeah,” John added, “once you’ve been to the Mating Ritual, we’ll see how excited you get about skipping that for a trip to Hot Waters.”

Dean couldn’t help but burst out laughing at his father’s statement. He had a hunch that the old man was right about that. Dean smiled warmly as he watched as his father wrap strong arms around his mother and whisper something in her ear.

“So,” asked John, not bothering to still the hands that were wandering over Mary’s curves, “Is it your time?”

“Guess so,” he replied. “They gave us ‘the talk’ at school today.”

John roared with laughter, “Oh yeah,” he sputtered, “The ‘take aim’ speech?”

“I’m afraid so,” Dean cringed.

“Got any questions ya need answered?”

“No. I’m pretty sure I get the idea.”

“My boy!” barked John, slapping his open hand on Mary’s thigh. Dean ducked his head, pretending not to notice. He looked up again when he heard whispering. He only caught a fragment of what his father was saying softly to his mother, but what he heard had him wanting to crawl away in shame. Mary blushed crimson in response and then asked Dean how long he planned to keep Sammy out playing.

“You guys owe me one,” he said as he pushed up from the ground and swam out. As he darted off in the direction of Cas’ place, Dean made a mental note to avoid his parents during the ritual. He didn’t want to be in the middle of something amazing and then look up and see his parents going at it… possibly with other people. Ew. Or in a group. Double ew.

Dean and Cas played with their brothers until Cas’ mother called him and Gabe inside for sleep. Once their friends were gone, the brothers headed back to their resting place. Upon entering, they interrupted a deep kiss between their parents.

“Ew,” he muttered as he turned his face away from them.

“They’ve been doing that a lot lately,” Sam reported.

“The Mating Cycle is coming up,” Dean explained, doing his best to not notice the way his mother was pressing her body into his father. “I think I’ll go tuck in,” he said as he swam past them. When he turned back to see if his brother was following his lead, he got an eyeful of his parents deepening their kiss and twining their tails together.

Sam took a cue from his older brother and rolled his eyes at their parents before following Dean to their sleeping area. As they laid there, Dean pretended not to notice the change in the water or the soft giggles and kissing noises from around the bend. Sam, young and blissfully unaware, chattered away with no mind to what his parents were getting up to nearby.

Dean did manage to eventually sleep, but not well. The image of his parents twining their tails together seemed to be forefront in his mind and it popped up again and again as he drifted in and out of consciousness. While his subconscious morphed his dreamscape from one scene to the next, the writhing tails he saw changed color and shape. Again and again, Dean saw two tails coiling together passionately, one green and one blue. The thought was erotic and intoxicating, the dominating theme of his lurid dreams.

Waking several times with a thick and uncomfortable cock, Dean finally gave up. Not for the first time, he turned his back to his sleeping brother and shamefully pulled himself off. Thankfully, it was over fast, set to the muted sounds of fucking from his parents nearby.

 


	5. The Mating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, this would be much harder to read without MoniJune polishing it for me. Thank you!

 

Dean never did sleep much. He was able to relax a bit more after he’d gotten off, but still found himself apprehensive. Beside him Sam slept soundly, still young and blissfully innocent.

Dean’s initial excitement at joining the mating ritual had been short lived, quickly replaced by a nervousness that was now giving way to a creeping dread. Did the idea of mating turn him on? Yes, it definitely did. Did he want to fuck? Absolutely. No doubt about it.

But who did he want to fuck? He’d exhausted a mental list of the mermaids at school. Though some were preferable to others, none was overly enticing. He worked through them all too – shuffling through their faces, pondering their colorful tails and perky breasts. It was frustrating to not have anyone in mind when his body was so ready to mate. Dean could feel the need for it humming beneath his skin. There had been a building anticipation running through all the merfolk lately, and he had it too… a hunger that demanded to be sated.

Though his dreams had been carnal and erotic, when he lingered on their content, Dean realized that thoughts of Cas were intruding.

He tried to picture Lisa, a pretty mermaid who often flirted with him. But the image of her salmon colored tail, dark hair, and almond eyes was faint. Much stronger was the image of Cas’ sparkling blue eyes and wide smile. Castiel’s striking features pushed through the shimmer of every mermaid whose face Dean could conjure. The tails that had twisted seductively in his dream kept pushing to the forefront of his mind. The image came back to him over and over again like a cleaner fish working a bone.

Worse yet, he could remember the feel of Cas’ tail under his own as he’d unintentionally curled around his friend a few cycles ago. His palm even seemed to remember the feel of Cas’ scales under his hand – he’d stroked them once when playing hide and seek, a very long time ago. After a while, he grew tired of fighting off thoughts of Castiel, and he just let them come. It soon became clear to Dean why he was so different from everyone else, why he’d never really had an appetite for mermaids, and why his body was always surprising him around his friend.

Just to test his theory, Dean gave up all efforts to think about touching mermaids and instead let a clear picture of Cas form in his mind. He thought of how it might feel to wrap his arms around Castiel. Warm affection flooded over him in response, so he went a step further and imagined leaning in close and trying to kiss him. His body’s reaction was so intense that it startled him, his stomach flipping over in his belly and tingles spreading through his body. Dean was stunned.

Once more, the erotic vision of coiled green and blue tails pushed to the forefront of his mind. It was no longer a dream, he realized, but a wish. A real and honest wish. How had he never put it together before?

But could it even be? A merman wanting another merman – who had ever even heard of such a thing? It was completely unprecedented.

Dean laid there and wracked his brain for anything he might have ever heard said on the subject. Sadly, he came up with nothing. He couldn’t recall having ever heard mention of this kind of thing before. He must be the first merman ever to want another merman as a mate.

For the remainder of the resting cycle, Dean worked to try and adjust to his new truth. Logically, he should feel better now that he understood himself. But he didn’t. Having this answer didn’t make his life any easier. He’d still be expected to drill his cock into a bunch of mermaids during the mating cycle and he’d soon be expected to choose a mermaid as a mate.. Knowing WHY he felt the way he did wasn’t providing any relief because the bigger problem remained: He was expected to do things in life that he simply didn’t want to do.

When the Singer passed by to signal the waking, Dean had never really slept. He watched Sam pop up immediately, excited for his trip to Hot Waters. Looking at his brother through the lens of nostalgia, Dean remembered his own trips there. He thought of the fun he’d had exploring the caves with Cas and how they would try to stay up all night. He remembered the games they’d played in the gardens and his throat tightened up as a sickening sadness washed over him.

“You’re gonna have a blast,” Dean told Sammy with forced enthusiasm. 

“I can’t wait,” Sam responded as their family swam out of their resting place together.

Dean’s mind was working to sluff off the memories of Hot Waters. They were sweet, and thus his current problem was tainting them. Moving to join the throng of merfolk as they passed by, Dean glanced at his parents. They were holding hands as they swam and they both appeared happy in the moment.

At the Gathering Place, there was no meeting. Only the short lived chaos of sorting out who was heading to Hot Waters. It didn’t take long. Sam and Gabe cheerfully said good-bye to their parents and older brothers before swimming off together to join the school.

Cas and his mother were near so Dean had been working hard not to look directly at Cas. For some reason, he felt like Cas would take one look at him and know his secret. He and Cas had just recently reconciled and the last thing Dean wanted to do was drive another wedge between them. He kept his eyes locked on Sam and Gabe as they swam off and then continued to gaze over at the school as the Guardians formed a barrier around the young ones, the pregnant mermaids, and the Attendants who would care for them all. A few honorary Guardians, the mates of Expectant mothers, joined the perimeter.

To Dean’s back, John made a tasteless joke about wagering who would get more tail… Dean or Cas. Quickly ducking his head, still ashamed to look over at Castiel, Dean tried to laugh just enough so that the awkward moment would pass without him looking too stiff.

“Well,” said John, dropping an arm around Mary’s shoulder, “I guess we should find somewhere else to sit. These young’uns don’t want us around when they’re trying out those lil peckers for the first time, right?”

Dean’s jaw dropped, stunned at his father’s blunt humor. With a wink, John dropped his other arm around Cas’ mom and ushered the two ladies away. Suddenly Dean was seized by a nauseating thought. His father had likely done the nasty with Cas’ mom. In fact, the moms had always been close. They’d likely done things to John together. Dirty things. The three looked so relaxed as they swam away together that it was almost implied.

“Eeeww,” he said out loud, glancing at Cas for the first time.

Cas joined him in bemoaning their parents, and they headed off in the other direction. Dean was careful not do anything that might give him away to Cas. He tried to act as normal as possible.

“What happens next?” Dean asked, barely able to control his fear. He was very unprepared for this. He’d wasted his entire night thinking of Castiel and could see now that he should’ve been mentally preparing for this. He’d not even thought about how to handle the mating – at all.

“I’m not really sure,” Cas responded. “Are you nervous?”

“Nope,” he lied.

“Me either,” Cas quipped. “I think I just need to get it over with.”

Dean was surprised. Cas had seemed so unshakeable, so unfazed by the whole thing that Dean had assumed his friend was ready… much like Ash and Cole were. But allowing himself a closer look now, Dean realized that Cas was actually quite tense.

“I’m a little nervous,” Dean admitted, hoping for reassurance.

“We’ll do fine,” his friend replied dutifully. “We’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah,” croaked Dean, working to swallow the lump that had risen in his throat. Looking around, Dean took in the scene before him. The school waited at the ready nearby. Hundreds of adult merfolk were sitting on the soft silt of the ocean floor, practically vibrating with excitement as they waited. On the periphery, far enough out that Dean’s eyes could barely make out the shapes, dolphins played in small groups. A few random fish darted about, chasing what Dean couldn’t even see, the slight illumination catching on their iridescent bodies and throwing shards of light out into the hazy water. 

A hush fell over everything as Amara, surrounded by her Leadership, swam out into the center of the group. She nodded to the Teachers, clearly a dismissal. As the school began its departure for Hot Waters, Amara led the rest of them into the Parting Song. Dean joined in as the singing swelled, and he watched the school set out on their journey.

Slowly at first, a few of the merfolk began to rise up from the sea floor and swim a lazy circle around the Gathering Place. Amara hovered at the center, her arms spread wide, as more and more bodies joined in swimming around her.

“Hear me,” she called to the group as the Parting Song subsided, “We are a strong people, and we are a close people. We work together and play together and raise our young ones together and we are better because of it. We will not succumb to the sea. We will grow in strength and number. Let us all open ourselves up to each other. Let us share ourselves and our mates! Let us all join together and bring forth new life!”

A swell of joyous celebration rose from those gathered and Dean watched in awe as merfolk launched themselves up into the circling bodies above. It was pandemonium for a while as everyone eagerly moved into position and began to spread out over the area.

Dean hadn’t moved yet, one the few who still sat on the ocean floor, rapt, and watched the event unfold. Cas was still beside him, quietly watching just like Dean was. As the community swirled in a vortex around Amara, she tore off her woven top and for the first time in his life, Dean saw her naked. She was flawless. She spread her arms wide again and Dean watched as she pointed to those she wanted and they went for her. In a moments time she was engulfed… a small swarm of bodies in the center of a spinning, twisting, undulating cyclone of skin and scales.

The water was growing murky from the churning and Dean lost sight of the dolphins who had been playing nearby. Those swimming were touching each other freely, hands roaming as they pleased from one to the next. Already some were lumping into twosomes and threesomes and the small coverings of woven plants and shells that mermaids wore over their breasts were raining down from above, discarded to pile on the seafloor where Dean still sat.

A sudden movement caught his eye and then Meg was there. She curled into Castiel’s lap and settled there. Glancing over, Dean saw her bare breasts pressed up against Cas’ strong chest. Skin on skin. Nipples.

“You know I’m not gonna beg for it,” Dean heard her whisper to Cas, “but I want you first.”

Dean looked away, trying to keep his face neutral. He’d known this was going to happen. He couldn’t have Cas for himself; that much he understood. But that didn’t make it any easier to watch someone else have him. Dean didn’t move a muscle, pretending to look at something far off in the distance as Meg pulled Cas up from the sand and took him away.

When the two were gone, Dean took a deep breath and tilted his head back to watch the show going on above him. His eyes were wide open now as he took in the mating ritual in all its glory. It had been silly to imagine he’d have to avoid his parents. He couldn’t find them now if he tried. In fact, Dean found that he rarely saw the face of anyone he knew well. He caught a glimpse of a friend from time to time, but most bodies were anonymous to him. Familiar faces at best. He and his friends from school were the youngest here. Everyone else was at least a little bit older, some were his parent’s age and some were even Elders.

It was strange to be allowed to openly watch something so lurid, but yet, everyone seemed to be doing it. They were all watching each other and they were all being watched. Dean, from his spot on the ocean floor, let his eyes rove over the spectacle. As he took in the sight, he made another discovery about himself.

Wanting Cas wasn’t his only problem. The core problem seemed to be that he wanted men in general. It was their bodies that caught and held his attention. It was thinking of them that made his dick twitch in its hiding place.  He looked at the mermaids with the same level of interest that he looked at the dolphins. Yep, this was going to be a problem. Dean was backward somehow and would likely never be right.

He was new to the mating ritual right now so, if he was slow to join, that probably wouldn’t be a big deal. No one was paying any attention to him anyway. But he wasn’t foolish enough to think he could abstain forever. He’d eventually have to embrace the custom. If he didn’t, people would know that something was wrong with him.

As he considered this, Dean remembered how viscerally his body had reacted at even the thought of kissing Cas. Perhaps that would save him. The thought of going back to pretending like he did among Benny’s friends was abhorrent; especially after having learned how unhappy it made him. But it was necessary, he could see that now. He’d pretend to want the mermaids, just like he always had. When the moment came for him to do the deed, he’d just close his eyes and think of Cas while he got off.

Feeling his abdomen tighten and his dick swell at the thought of mating, Dean realized that he could do it. Hell, he’d been plenty horny the past few days. There was no reason to think he’d not be able to perform. With that thought in mind, Dean pushed gently up from the sea floor and began floating slowly closer to the action.

As he drew nearer, Dean found himself feeling more enticed. He’d not realized how cloudy the water had grown from all the commotion, but it had kept him from seeing much more than just the basic shape of those he was nearest to. But up close, he was inundated with sights and sounds that called out to his intrinsic urges. Dean began to swim faster, working to join the throng.

As he slid into the group, he was surrounded by the garbled sounds of copulation happening all around him. He could scent it on the water too. Sex was filling all his senses and inviting his body to join in the mayhem. Dean was ravenous. He tipped his head back, looking up from inside the churning maelstrom of carnality and saw nothing but ecstasy.

His breaths were coming fast, gills working double time, mouth open and full of water. Blood was pounding in his ears and racing through his body, his cock had grown painfully engorged, folded over in its cramped little space. Something grazed over his scales. The palm of a hand. A moment later, a fin brushed his. These light, sensual touches made Dean feel warm all over, tingly. His cock twitched and he felt himself growing wet down there. Another touch. Then a bump. Glancing over, Dean saw a mermaid looking at him with expectant eyes. He wasn’t quick enough to look away and she seemed to read that as interest. She reached out for him, letting her hand graze along his arm. He thought she looked vaguely familiar. Not quite as old as his mother, but close. Perhaps he’d worked with her one day when the school had visited her work site. She licked her lips and ran her hand down her own tail, circling around her slit and letting out a little moan into the water.

Before he could blink, Dean was shoved aside by a man with the arm bands of a Guardian. Dean never even saw the guy’s face – he buried it in the mermaid’s slit without hesitation. She went limp as he latched on to her and groaned in relief as he set to work on her. As others ran their hands over him in passing, Dean longed to reach out and put hands on someone. Sadly, what he longed to touch was forbidden for him. But, it was still very sensual to be amid such unbridled passion and Dean was caught up in it, even if he wasn’t able to fully enjoy this the way he wanted to.

He’d gone around the circle a few times when he felt a body press up behind him and an arm tighten around his waist. He had no idea who it was, and he didn’t turn his head to see. A moment later, there was a hand gently rubbing over the bulge under his scales. A moan of pleasure slipped from his mouth without his permission and in response, the hand pressed harder. The pressure on his concealed package felt wonderful and he pressed himself up into it without even wondering who was behind him. Then there were lips on his shoulder and teeth grazing over his skin. The threat of a bite was enthralling, both a threat and a promise. A little pain to compliment his pulsing pleasure.

“Yes,” he whispered into the water as he gave himself permission to not care whose hand cradled him or whose hungry mouth was now sucking on his neck. Dean swam now with a mysterious rider on his back, a hungry mouth on his skin and eager hands touching him like he’d never been touched before. The more his body responded to the touches, the more he began to enjoy the ritual.

The water here at the Gathering Place had been begun responding to their frenzied mating ritual. The sheer number of bodies, all moving in the same direction, had created a whirlpool and it churned along with them. Swimming fast, with the group, was effortless because of the swift current that now carried them all along. It was dizzying. Occasionally Dean would catch a glimpse of dolphins, frisky and playing at the perimeter of their whirlpool.

As he moved through the group, Dean saw some familiar faces but none that he knew well. All were engaged in some manner of delightfully sinful behavior and no one seemed to mind being watched. There was skin everywhere. The little woven coverlets and shell strings that mermaids normally wore were conspicuously absent and everywhere he looked, Dean saw breasts. Some were dainty, small and pert. Some were voluptuous, bobbing seductively in the water. Some were distinctly male, chiseled and firm. Locking his eyes on a proud specimen, Dean was overwhelmed by the urge to suck the nipple into his mouth.

It was quite a shock to his system to realize that the breast he’d been ogling was male. But, rather than disturb him, the idea of sucking a man’s breast shot a jolt of lust up his spine. Again, he rolled his hips and pushed his package up into the palm that still cupped him – the hand of unknown origin whose fingers had now begun to tease at his slit.

Dying to get something in his mouth, Dean swiveled his head away from the gorgeous pecs he’d been coveting and scanned for something closer… something he could wrap his lips around. Then, there it was. A temptation like none he’d ever seen before. A cock. Within easy arm’s reach. It was the real deal too – it would take two fists stacked on top of each other to cover the surface area of that shaft. The crown of it was enviable in shape and color. More than anything, he wanted to reach out and take it in his hand, pull it to his mouth, and suck it down his throat. He wanted to feel it spread his lips wide… taste it on his tongue… suck the nectar from it. Hunger roared in his chest, demanding to be appeased. Suddenly, more than anything else he’d ever wanted or needed, Dean craved the knowledge of what cum tasted like. He wanted to drink it down.

Heat was pooling in his groin now, pure wanton need swelling him beyond the measure of what his pouch could contain. Soft, gentle fingers grew impatient as they slid inside and tried to work him free. His dick was sticky with surfactant as those fingers worked to grasp him firmly and pull him out. A gasp escaped him when it finally happened, his cock pushing out from his slit, guided by mystery fingers.

The cool water rushed over his slippery and overheated member. “Fuck!” he called out, because he was simply unable to hold back a verbal appreciation of the sweet relief. His dick was now free to grow even larger. Dragging his heavy cock through the water, he felt himself shiver at the sheer excitement that came with knowing his most private part was on display for all to see. Overwhelmed with the eroticism of the moment, he cursed aloud again but the sound of it was lost to his own ears in the tumult of sounds around him. Voices, all bleeding together in a wash of sound – cursing, pleading, begging, moaning, gasping. Amid the chorus of voices were lewd sounds like the slurping of cocks, slick in their own oily juices and sliding in and out of panting mermaids; the sucking of greedy mouths that choked on hard cock and couldn’t get enough. The collective auditory feedback from those he now swam with incited a primal, animalistic greed in Dean that he feared might never be quelled. Drawing in a ragged breath of the salty sea, Dean tasted everyone on his tongue – the collective spend of countless mermen diluted in the water. The flavor he’d longed to know. Cum. He felt himself pulse with salacious excitement and grow even larger in the hand that stroked him.

With a fist jacking his cock and a warm body at his back, Dean swam along with the others, keeping pace and working to keep from being too obvious as he watched the enticing cock that had caught his attention nearby. Before long, a set of soft lips was wrapping around it. At first it was nice to have a mermaid start sucking on it because it gave Dean permission to stare. But then, envy washed over him because he wanted what she had.

He watched her blow the dude, even though the sight was torturous for him. He forced himself to swallow as he saw the long, hard shaft disappear into her mouth and then reappear as she pulled back. Her mouth was slowly opening wider and wider with each repetition and soon she was buried to the hilt, her neck showing the length of what she swallowed down, even from the outside. Another snap of pleasure chased its way down Dean’s spine as he imagined being the one who got to have his mouth violated like that… taking it a step further to imagine it being Cas… thick and hard for Dean and rolling his hips into Dean’s mouth with full permission to shove in as deep as he wanted, to hold Dean’s head from behind and push himself in deeper. Imagining Cas using him sexually made Dean want to come. Oh the things he’d let Cas do to him…

Dean could not tear his eyes away as the nearby maiden began moving feverishly up and down on the shaft, her eyes clenched shut against the pain involved because, just like Dean, she didn’t give a damn if it hurt. She wanted it anyway.

Rock hard in the hand that was jacking him and pulsing with need, Dean suddenly felt the weight leave his back. In that moment, his cock was left hanging in the water with no hand to rub it. His mystery maiden had left. Possibly she’d grown tired of trying to get him to reciprocate. Oh well, he’d never even looked back to see who it was. He preferred the mystery of a faceless person pleasuring him. If it couldn’t be Cas – or even another man – then he’d rather not know who it was.

Looking back at the enviable dick he’d been watching, he could see now why the mermaid was bobbing on it so forcefully. She was being fucked as she sucked and with each thrust, she was forced down on that cock with all the might of a grown merman. Once again, Dean found himself wanting to be her so that he might have what she had. He’d give anything for just a taste. They were moving ahead of him now, the three of them glommed together, and as they passed, Dean finally looked away from the fat dick long enough to see who it was attached to. He then realized that the man with the enviable cock was Benny.

He didn’t recognize the mermaid sucking him off, but he did recognize Aaron fucking into her. Aaron’s mouth was attached to the mermaid’s breast, suckling like an infant as he humped rhythmically into her. To put power behind his thrusts, Aaron had one arm wrapped around her waist and his other arm coiled tightly around Benny’s tail. As their little cluster pushed past him, Benny gestured at Dean with his hand. Dean waved back, strange though it was, and then saw why Benny’s little fuck fest had sped ahead. Lydia was up there and she was beckoning to Benny, fingers tickling her own slit as an invitation for him while she called out his name.

Dean watched, mesmerized, as Benny reached his destination and pushed away the eager lips that had been devouring his shaft. As the mystery maiden detached from Benny, she turned her full attention to Aaron and the two drifted out of Dean’s sight. He didn’t want to stare – knowing that it was thought of as creepy. But, he let his eyes linger for just a moment as Benny roughly took hold of Lydia and shoved his ready meat into the soft entrance she’d been prepping for him.

The two locked together and began a feverish thrashing, the kind of fucking that happens when the tension’s been building too long. Anticipation had made Benny’s hands brutal and crushing… his hips punishing… his thick dick battering. The sight of it was lascivious and Dean’s eyes were wide as looked on. Clearly, Lydia was enjoying it too. She arched her back into each stroke and cried out Benny’s name again and again. He sucked and nipped and bit at her breasts as he rode her hard.

Another body soon floated in to obscure his view of Benny and Lydia. A merman. Alone. He was older than Dean but not by much. His tail was long and his body was lean and, like Dean, he was dragging a heavy and unattended cock through the water. Dean’s eyes watched it, mesmerized, but he counted in his head and forced himself to look away at five. If he was going to keep his strange desires a secret, he was going to have to be careful not to stare at anyone too long – especially at a man.  His dick, heavy and full and begging for a release, stole his attention from the feast of depravity happening around him and centered his mind on one thought. “I want to blow a load.”

Though Dean harbored strange sexual desires for mermen that he dared not acknowledge, he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t mate with his first choice. All around him were merfolk who wanted someone in particular and had been fantasizing about joining with them during the ritual. And for many whose desires were not reciprocated, a substitute would need to be found.

Cole, for example, had been salivating for a chance with Lydia for as long as Dean could remember. But he didn’t have a prayer. It was never going to happen. Not even at the climax of things. But Cole wasn’t sitting this out. He was here somewhere in this circling feast of flesh, seeking out a partner who would welcome his advances. It was time for Dean to do the same. He knew that it was a waste of his seed to cum only for the sake of his own pleasure. Otherwise, he could just rub himself off, right here in front of everyone. But, no. The reason he was here – the reason they were all here – was to make sure that not a drop was wasted. If he was going to blow his load, he needed to do it in the right place… the womb of a mermaid. When he had his orgasm, he needed to give life a chance to grow from it. That was the way of his people.

So, a merman on a mission now, Dean steeled himself and returned his attention to the skin and scales of those around him. He was ready to find someone to get off with.

He took several leisurely laps just looking around. The ritual had been overwhelming at first, overstimulating. But now Dean was getting used to it. He allowed himself to look at anything and everything that caught his eye, enjoying the titillation of it and readying himself for more.

Honestly, it was pleasurable just to swim with them – letting himself feel sexy and be out on display. Now that he was getting a look at what the other mermen were packing inside their slits, Dean realized he could be proud of his endowment. It was worth showing off. So, he let himself look at others and he let others look at him. He took note of the different positions that others were using to pleasure each other and tried to memorize the ones that intrigued him. He kept one eye out for anyone who might want him and when he did catch a mermaid’s eye, he gave himself a moment to decide if the idea of getting off with her was tolerable. As he circled, he passed over several.

One whose attention he didn’t welcome proved to be insistent and pushed into his space. Though he could have pushed her away, he didn’t find himself feeling the need. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings by shoving her off so he allowed it when she tentatively licked him a few times, teased her tongue over his nipples. It felt good. He let her continue as he ignored her in favor of watching for someone else and she seemed to understand what was happening. Rather than give up on him, she doubled her efforts. He sighed as she licked down his abdomen and then lower to taste his scales, her mouth hungrily seeking out the prize that had no doubt drawn her to him… his huge cock. But when he didn’t reciprocate her, she moved on.

Charlie drifted into his mind a few times as a mermaid he might be able to couple with. She had always been his favorite of the girls, and he wondered if she might be interested in him. The idea of giving her a baby made him warm in his chest and he realized that he’d be willing to mate with her. He decided then and there that if he saw her, he’d ask if she wanted him.

This would all be so much better if he were allowed to get off with mermen. That might make it easier to move on from not being able to have Cas. But, there was no point in dwelling on what he couldn’t have.

Dean continued looking at those around him, seeking a mermaid partner, but always letting his eyes enjoy the fine looking mermen that passed by him. Always, he was counting to be sure he didn’t stare at the men for too long.

All around him were merfolk, young and old. They all traveled easily, carried along on the current that swirled in a circle around the Gathering Place. Amara still hovered in the center. She chose who she wanted and they came out of the crowd to service her, thrilled to be summoned. She floated there, God-like, as she was pleasured and watched the breeding of those who whirled around her. Down below, on the sandy ocean floor, were the remnants of clothing that had been worn here and then discarded. Among those abandoned articles of clothing were a few couples who had sunk to the bottom and now writhed on the ocean floor in groups of two, three, or more. A few, having climaxed, rested amidst the strewn clothing and bodies.

It made Dean queasy to look down at those on the silty bottom, because they were staying still while he was still circling. Since he wasn’t putting much effort into swimming, he didn’t feel like he was moving very fast. But when he looked down at stationary objects, he could see that he was. They all were. To keep from feeling dizzy, Dean quit looking down at all. He kept his eyes mostly out in front of him, glancing to the left and right when he wanted.

He’d grown used to being brushed against, touched, bumped or even petted by those around him as he swam along. But a more insistent touch soon garnered his attention. Turning his head in response, he saw a familiar face. Pamela. She’d been one of the older Learners when Dean had first started school. She’d left school to join her profession back when Dean was still a young. He hadn’t seen her for quite some time.

“Hey grumpy,” she teased him, probably wondering why he was so solemn at his first mating.

“Hey Pam,” he replied, working to loosen up. It wasn’t easy being part of the ritual but having to hold back every single instinct he had.

She looked him up and down. “Great job growing up, Dean,” she flirted. “I could really teach you how to use some of this equipment.”

Dean swallowed hard as she took him in hand and slid her palm up the length of him. He’d withered a little without a stimulating hand. But now, under her grip, his body responded by filling him quickly.

“Yeah,” he replied, feeling his body become agreeable to her, “I bet you could show me a thing or two.” 

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. “I think this will go better if you don’t talk,” she joked. He let himself laugh and felt encouraged when she didn’t pull away from him. Raising an eyebrow to him she added, “Oh you really think you’re something dontcha?”

“I think I’m adorable,” he preened, loving their comfortable banter and allowing himself to relax a bit.

“Oh you are,” she winked, “when you’re mouth is shut.”

Dean quirked a lopsided grin at her, pointedly not talking. She rewarded him by pulling in closer and adding a second hand to his cock. He liked it. She seemed to know exactly what he liked, alternating her hands through different patterns of teasing and jacking.

When she pulled forward and latched onto him, he was grateful that she’d be the one. He further relaxed when she put her lips to the tip of his dick and began to tease at it like she was making out with it.

On his left was an older man, so wrinkled that Dean didn’t bother trying to surreptitiously peek at his pecker. On the right was a mermaid that Dean recognized from The Boneyard. He didn’t recall her name, but she was probably as old as his mother, though not near as pretty. She was wrapped in the arms of a much younger merman who was eagerly sucking her breasts and thrusting his cock against her tail. Up ahead were the tails and twisting bodies of many merfolk. Their touching, sucking, and fucking were scintillating to watch as Pam progressively got more insistent with her mouth.

Just when he was feeling comfortable with how things were going, Dean saw a something that stopped his heart. He saw Cas. It was a harsh blow too. Just when he’d made his peace with what he couldn’t have, the embodiment of everything he desired swam into his line of sight and then settled there.

Cas was the personification of all Dean’s desires – or perhaps the foundation for them. Either way, it was impossible to tear eyes away from the shape of that body. The shoulders were broad and strong, waist trim, and the muscles in his back worked artfully as his tail swooped from side to side. What Dean wouldn’t give to taste that skin, touch that tail, and feel those lips on his body. Even thinking of it seemed to swell his cock larger. Clearly enjoying his growing member, Pam clamped down harder and began working more ambitiously. She pushed up from his groin to suck his nipple into her mouth and the feeling was so sensual that he let out a moan, even while his heart was breaking with want for Castiel. She flicked at his nub with her tongue and then slid back down to roll that talented tongue over his tip before gulping him down again.

Without consciously choosing to do so, Dean sped up and began to close the distance between himself and his friend. Cas was alone for the moment. It felt like an opportunity. With no idea what he’d actually say, Dean pushed in closer. Fuck it. This was a chance. A chance to see something that would fuel his dreams and stroke sessions for the rest of his life. More than anything else in the world, right now, Dean wanted to see Cas’ cock. If he couldn’t touch it, at least he could memorize what it looked like and replay the image of it behind his eyelids whenever he got off.

It was so disappointing to swim up next to his friend and find that Cas wasn’t hanging out like Dean was. His package was neatly tucked away, the only evidence of it being a telltale bulge under his scales.

“Sup Cas,” he greeted as he swam up alongside.

When Cas turned to look at him, Dean was surprised by the startled expression Cas was wearing.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, unsure why Cas seemed startled.

“N – Nothing,” muttered Cas, “Just surprised me, I guess.”

As Castiel spoke, Dean noticed his friend's eyes dip down to the beautiful dark haired mermaid who’d attached herself to Dean and was still working on him.

“Who is that?” Cas asked discreetly.

Dean grinned widely, “Remember Pam?”

He watched the gears turn in Cas’ mind and then saw the moment that Cas remembered Pamela. He smiled as his friend nodded in approval. Focused on more important things, Dean put his mind to work on figuring out a way to get a look at Cas’ goods. Settling on an innocuous approach, Dean made what might seem like just a friendly gesture.

“She’ll probly get ya going again, if ya want?” he inquired. “Or did Meg take it all out of ya… including your will to live?”

“Something like that,” chuckled Cas, letting his eyes wander back out in front of him, “You go ahead and enjoy her.”

“I could use a break,” Dean pressed, moving his hands down to rest on the crown of Pam’s head and pull her gently off his knob. “Hey, sweetheart,” he said bravely as she looked up at him, “That was fan-freakin-tastic.”

“I know,” she smiled at him, clearly enjoying Dean’s increased confidence as he spoke to her.

“This is my best friend Cas,” he said.

“I remember little Cassie!” she cooed.

“I am not little anymore,” retorted Cas in a surly voice, “and please refrain from calling me Cassie.”

“And here I thought Dean was grumpy,” she pouted playfully.

Dean took the lead, bolstered by Pam’s open and easy ways. He flipped her around so that her back was to his chest. With one arm wrapped around her middle and the other hand cupping her chin, he pressed her up to Cas’ body and whispered in her ear, “Think maybe you can do my friend like you did me? ‘Cause that was awesome.”

She gave a low chuckle in response and he could feel her soft laughter vibrating against his chest. Then he watched as she reached out for Cas. Dean didn’t wait. He pushed them closer, sandwiching Pam between them and watched her hands come to rest on Castiel’s chest. He pressed in tighter and as he did, his heart was racing in the hope that Cas wouldn’t push them away.

Right now Dean was so close to Cas’ body that he could see even the tiniest imperfections of his skin. His eyes lingered on a dark freckle near his friend’s right nipple and he swallowed down the urge to suck that nipple into his mouth.

Knowing this was as close as he could get to what he really wanted, Dean prayed he’d be allowed to stay. “C’mon,” he purred in Pam’s ear, “See if you can make the grumpy boy smile like I did.”

To his surprise, she giggled and ground her backside into him as she slid down Cas’ body to lick his slit. Dean slid down with her and found his cock was throbbing again already. He pressed it into her warmth and closed his eyes as he imagined that she wasn’t there at all… that he was embracing Castiel and being welcomed to do so. When he opened his eyes again, Cas was looking right at him. Their gaze locked for a moment. Dean broke the spell when he realized that he’d been thrusting himself against Pam while staring into Cas’ eyes. It seemed too intimate… too personal… too telling.

Dean scolded himself internally. Just because the ritual was going on and lewd actions were suddenly normal, didn’t mean that Cas wouldn’t be creeped out if he knew what Dean was really thinking about. He’d have to be more careful. To cover his secret feelings, Dean forced himself to watch the mermaid between them… that’s the part an observer would expect him to be interested in. And if there was one thing Dean had learned about the ritual today, it was that OTHERS WERE WATCHING.

Everyone was fucking and everyone was watching everyone else while they were fucking. It was impossible not to enjoy seeing and hearing the passions of others – Dean had learned that from his parents. It didn’t matter that he didn’t _want_ to like it when he heard them screwing. He liked it in spite of his reservations.

Knowing that others were looking at him lustfully increased his pleasure. He liked that those around them were impressed by his gorgeous cock as it drug heavy in the water. And he loved the power of telling a mermaid to service another and having her agree to it

“Pam, I love what you’re doing with your tongue,” Dean praised, “I can’t wait to have you back on me.”

“Not gonna happen,” she pulled off to say, “It’s my turn.”

Dean paused for a moment, wondering, and when she gestured downward, he realized that she wanted him to lick her. He closed his eyes then, for fear that she’d see his lack of interest reflected back at her. Leaning in and pressing his lips to her shoulder, he whispered what he knew she’d want to hear, “I love it when you boss me around.”

She returned her attention to Cas’ slit. Dean loved that as he watched from over her shoulder, he had a clear view of the crown of Castiel’s dick, straining to press out of its warm and wet pocket. As Pam worked her tongue over the area, Cas was growing. His cock was starting to push out now, and Dean ached for wanting to see more of it.

“Suck it,” he commanded her, wild with desire. And she did. She clamped down on the small portion that was protruding and as she did, Cas must’ve really liked the feel of it. He bucked forward and shoved himself into her. She opened for him and took him down and Dean couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight.

“Deeper,” he husked in her ear as he ground into her from behind.

Seeing her obey was scintillating, and his body flooded with heat. A thought crossed his mind… perfect in its simplicity and plausibility. Before he’d even thought through the mechanics of it, Dean was already tipping his head to look back up at Cas.

When he did look up, Cas was looking down. He seemed a bit flustered to be caught watching but he didn’t turn away.

“Let’s fuck her,” Dean blurted out.

“Both of us?” questioned Cas.

“Yeah.”

As Cas considered the idea, Dean held his breath in the hope that he’d be allowed this… to stay this near to Cas… to be touching his friend when he came. When they came.

_Please. Let me just have this. Please._

“Okay,” Cas agreed.

Thrilled, Dean could barely suppress a shout of excitement.

“Ya hear that?” Dean whispered into Pam’s ear, “We both want you. You’re so good that we both want you.”

He felt it when she paused her sucking to consider what he was asking. The words came out in a rush, Dean over eager and not wanting to lose her now.

“You think you can handle that?” he challenged, “I bet you can. You can take two young, hot mermen like us right? Everyone will see you.” Trying to earn her consent, he began kissing along her neck as he baited her into doing what he wanted her to do. As he hoped for her agreement, he promised himself that he’d make it good for her. He’d even suck her tits if that got him permission to be holding onto Cas when he blew his load.

“Don’t over sell it,” she barked firmly, reminding Dean of who was really in charge.

“Please,” he whispered softly as he reached around and palmed her breasts for the first time, “Please?”

“Yeah,” she whispered, tipping her head back to rest on his shoulder. “You’re gorgeous when you beg.”

He looked up at Cas then, wondering if he’d heard. He had. He gave Dean the little flick of a smile that Dean loved – the one that said, “dammit you’re trouble, Dean, and that’s why I like hangin out with you.” It felt almost like old times, if not a bit more scandalous, when Dean winked at Cas playfully and saw his friend working hard to hold back a smile in response.

Suddenly euphoric as he realized that he was going to get what he hoped for, Dean tightened his grip on Pam. He was suddenly very grateful to her for giving him this chance to be with Cas… in any capacity. It was a precious gift.

So joyful that he could practically weep, Dean buried his lips into the soft spot where her neck met her shoulder and pressed kisses into her flesh. “You won’t be sorry,” he promised her ardently. “I’m gonna make it so good for you.”

“Dean,” she said firmly, “it’s like you don’t know what your mouth is for.”

Laughing out loud, he sank down to do what she wanted. Since Pam was facing Cas to suck him off, Dean had to slide between them to get into position. He’d not thought of how that would feel, but it was amazing to press his body against Cas in any capacity. He didn’t dare look either of his partners in the eye right now. They’d know his secret by the look on his face, he was sure of it. Pam’s deep purple tail was smooth under his hands as he laid them on her hips. Then, he tipped his head in and tentatively rolled his tongue down along the outer edge of her sensitive area.

This was the price he’d pay for sex with Cas as an active participant. He leaned in again, putting more weight behind the action and started to roll his tongue up and down over the slit. Surprisingly, he found it more erotic than he’d been expecting. He liked Pam, and he was very grateful to her. He wanted her to feel good and enjoy this. So he went to work. Remembering how good it had felt when she changed the patterns of her mouth on his cock, he repaid the favor in kind. He lapped circles around the edge, he gave little flicks and big licks, he pushed his tongue down into her crevice and was stunned to feel a surge of passion flood up inside him as he licked in deeply. She was warm and wet inside, and he wondered idly if the slick juices inside of her tasted the same as those that collected in his own pouch and kept his cock slippery long after it came out into the water.

The salty residue of her smelled much like the cum taste floating on the water, and Dean found that he loved it. Behind him, he could feel Cas’ body moving more and more as Pam pleasured him, and Dean’s cock throbbed as he became lost in what he was doing. For a few moments, Dean forgot about the others around them, forgot that they were being watched, and forgot that he didn’t want mermaids. His head was blessedly empty as he tongue fucked Pam with all he had. Behind him, Cas’ tail was twitching and the fin was brushing against his backside and the image of his dreams… their two tails twining… it danced behind his eyelids.

Dean must’ve been doing well, because Pam was writhing in his arms. Overcome, she arched her back in pleasure and let out a shout. Dean looked up then, his vision framed by Pam and Cas both looking down at him.

Lust surged again as he saw Cas’ cock floating just above his head. It was a sight that Dean would remember for all his life. He was breathing heavily, but then again, they all were.

A short while ago, he’d been convinced that the best he could hope for was to imagine Cas while he fucked a mermaid. Now, here he was, tangled up with his friend and feeling every move that Cas made. Despite the tendrils of warmth that were spreading over his body, Dean knew he had to be careful. He’d need to pretend that his pleasure came from Pam… not from Cas. He couldn’t look at his friend too much while they did it. He couldn’t hold him too tightly or call out his name. It wouldn’t be easy.

But, he was here with Cas and that was all that really mattered. After this, Dean would know what Cas sounded like when he was pleasured… what his face looked like when he came. He’d feel Cas’ body alongside his own and he’d release knowing Cas was with him.

Dean was still in between Pam and Cas when she pulled him up by the chin. She didn’t speak, but she looked deep into his eyes as she reached out and stroked his cock, taking a firm hold of him at the base of it and pulling him forward by it. He grinned stupidly at the gesture, giddy in the moment. The first push into her brought with it an intense rush. She removed her hand from him as he sank into her warmth. Dean felt his body become sloppy, like an octopus or a jelly fish, just completely shapeless. He slid into her waiting arms with a soft moan and surrendered helplessly.

“I know,” she purred as she enveloped him, “I know.”

Dean was limp, holding on by a thin thread, hoping not to cum before they even started. He’d talked a big game to her. It had been foolish, he realized now, thinking that he could orchestrate and enjoy a threesome when he’d never even had sex before. Now, praying for the strength to hold on, he tried to find himself. He flexed his fingers, curled his fin, picked his heavy head up from Pam’s shoulder and looked over at Cas.

Castiel was looking right at him, giving Dean a look that had previously been saved for strange sea creatures they’d never seen before. Dean knew Cas so well that he knew his friend was fascinated. It was an unexpected reaction, and Dean could think of no logical reason for it. But his mind didn’t linger on it. He worked to clear the haze in his sex-addled mind and focus. Focus on the grand prize. It was waiting for him just an arm’s reach away.

“Cas,” he whispered with his head resting on Pam’s shoulder, unable to articulate what he had meant to say. He’d only meant to imply that it was time for Cas to join. But hearing the way he’d said it, Dean immediately woke back up. Had he blown it? Pam was laughing… that couldn’t be good.

“Yeah, yeah,” her rough voice was chuckling in his ear, “give yourself some time or this party will be over before it starts.”

His head was clearing. His trademark humor found him again. “I take it this isn’t the first time you’ve helped out a new guy?”

“Ya got me,” she grinned, pulling back to look him in the face, “I like the young ones. Now, you move when you’re ready. Don’t look up, okay sweetie?”

“Why not?” he wondered aloud. But she didn’t answer – and that’s how he knew what was going on. Her mouth was busy. Was she blowing Cas again while Dean clung to her and tried not to come? Was she kissing him? She’d said not to look up and, trusting her wisdom, he obeyed. Likely he’d blow his load at the sight of whatever Pam was doing to Cas so it was best to not look, not think, not move.

Dean had no idea how much time had passed when he found himself ready to open his eyes. But he could feel Cas moving beside him, their bare shoulders were rubbing together. Like a child waking from a nap, he became conscious of more and more of his environment. He was still achingly hard, buried in Pam. Beside him, Cas had also been pulled into her embrace, and he was moving in slow rolls. Looking down, Dean saw that they were still moving, still keeping the pace with the rest of the merfolk as they circled. Cas and Pam were doing the work of swimming and Dean was limp. He picked up his head and looked around. Pam glanced over at him and smiled but then returned her attention to Castiel. Both Dean and his friend were pulled in tightly to her now and Cas was humping against her tail. Dean found his hands, one of which was pressed to Pam’s chest while the other was dangling at her side.

Feeling Cas move against him ignited the fire in him again and he summoned his hands to work for him. Wanting to follow through on his promise to himself and Pam, he pulled back a little and set to work teasing her nipples.

“That’s my boy,” she encouraged warmly.

Full of desire to please her, Dean leaned in and sucked her breast into his mouth. He closed his eyes and began to work his tongue and teeth over her as he let his mind picture Cas’ eyes and rare but gorgeous smile. Feeling Cas shift his weight, Dean popped his eyes open and was startled to see Cas looking at him from very close. Their gaze locked as Cas mimicked Dean’s action and sucked Pam’s other breast into his mouth. The two of them shared a small, conspiratorial smile with mouthfuls of flesh.

“Oh hell yeah!” Pam shouted, rolling her hips up and reminding Dean that he was still connected to her. The rush of blood to his cock stunned him and as he felt himself swell inside of her, he was unable to hold still. Instinctively he followed her movement with his own, grinding his hips forward and beginning the first of many thrusts deep into her. As he sucked and humped, his arm snaked out and wrapped around Castiel for a better grip. Or so he hoped others would think. Inside, he felt his heart fissure as he realized how much he really did feel for Cas. It wasn’t just a yearning or wanting. It was need.

“I think it’s time,” whispered Pam, pushing one hand down between the three of them. It took some fumbling and a few curse words were uttered. But, she did successfully maneuver Castiel’s cock over to lay next to Dean’s. He shifted his weight, turned his body, bent his cock a bit more at the base and then felt the thrill of a rock hard cock sliding in alongside his own.

“Fuck yes!” screamed Pam, tipping her head back. Dean would’ve cried out too, but he was beyond all power of speech. Immediately, they began to slow because Pam had stopped swimming. She was rigid in their arms with her back arched and her mouth open. “Fuck me boys,” she garbled, “Fuck me, fuck me. Fuck. Me.”

Dean and Cas both struggled to find a rhythm at first. And, it wasn’t easy to keep both of them inside the warmth of her body. But with a bit of practice, they found they that small thrusts were best. They worked well together, panting and cursing as they built up to a climax, Dean with an arm clenched around Cas’ waist and Cas grasping Dean by his shoulder. It was more than he’d even imagined and he never wanted to let go.

“Suck my tits again,” Pam begged as they both fucked into her, “Yeah, just like that. Just like that. Oh yeah, you are MY boys.”

With both of them pressed to her breasts like Sucklings, Pam screamed out her orgasm and clutched them to her. Dean loved that she was satisfied, still grateful to her beyond all measure, but it wasn’t her frenzied thrusts or dirty talk that pushed Dean over the edge. It was the feel of Cas’ cock sliding alongside his own, his friends cheek pressing against him as he breathed heavily.

Cas came shortly after Dean, eyes closed and mouth locked open in a silent scream. Exhausted, the three sank to the sandy bottom and joined the others who were either fucking or resting down there. They landed in a heap and didn’t pull apart right away.

“Pam,” Dean whispered, hoping Cas wouldn’t hear it, “thank you.”

“My boys,” she mumbled again in response. Glancing over at Cas, Dean saw his friend looking content. Sated and sleepy.

“That was great, Dean,” he mumbled. Dean slept, but not for long. When he woke, Pam was gone and Cas was sleeping next to him on the sand. Dean’s hand was trapped under Cas’ shoulder and it was tingling from having been that way too long. But there was no way in hell he was gonna move it. Hating that he had to do it, he counted to five as he looked at his sleeping friend and then looked away.

Staring up at the ritual still going on overhead, Dean had to admit, this was really something. How, he wondered, do we have so much trouble reproducing? Look at all those people fucking. _Damn._

Cas started to stir beside him so Dean retracted his hand and folded his arms under his head, content to watch the swirling vortex of fins and pheromones above him. He began to hone in on the faces as they passed, thinking he’d wave if he saw someone he knew.

From beside him, Dean felt the water ripple as Cas rolled over. Glancing at his friend, he saw that Cas was now lying with his arms folded under his head much like Dean. The two both watched the bodies above them as Cas broke the silence.

“What do you think you want to be when you grow up, Dean?”

“I don’t know,” he answered, mimicking Cas’ careful detachment.

“I’ve been worried lately.”

“About what?” Dean asked, still not looking at his friend.

“Everything. It’s weird because we’ve grown so much. We’re practically adults. But, I don’t feel like one. I’m not ready.”

“Me either. But I was worried about this too… and that turned out alright.”

“You were worried about the ritual?”

“Shh. Don’t say it so loud man,” laughed Dean.

“Why were you worried?” whispered Cas.

“Dunno. It was stupid I guess.”

“I have no idea what I want to do with my life, Dean.”

“Me neither,” he answered honestly, glad he wasn’t the only one. “I know what I _don’t_ want to do. Does that count for anything?”

“I don’t know, tell me what you don’t want to do.”

“I don’t want to be a Builder. I don’t want to be a Weaver, a Watcher, or a Preparer.”

 “I thought you might want to be a Hunter, you know, like your dad. That’s why you’re training with them, right? You and Benny?”

“I might, I guess. But… my mom.”

“Mine too. She lost her mate, and she’s so scared that she’ll lose me too.”

“Well,” Dean prompted, “if you could be anything and no one would care, what would you choose?”

“Explorer,” breathed Cas.

Dean could feel the excitement behind his friend’s spoken word… the urgency and passion of it. “Me too, I think,” he replied, sharing a smile with his friend. “Why can’t you be that?”

“Same as you. I have a mother, and it would hurt her. She wants me safe.”

“There’s no such thing,” Dean said pointedly.

“I think differently than my mom,” Cas said. “I’d rather live a short life that I love, than a long one that I hate.”

“Yeah,” Dean said wistfully, “I like the sound of that.”

“But you won’t do it, Dean. I know you,” said Cas. “You care more about what other people want than what you want.”

“So do you,” Dean threw back.

“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.”

Things grew quiet for a bit, Dean actually nodding off a little. Then, with a whoosh, Dean’s fragile peace was interrupted. Lydia had swooped down and was now floating above them.

“What’s this?” she asked, “A sleepover?”

“You’re not invited,” Dean barked roughly, wishing she’d leave.

“I’m not here for you anyway,” she threw back at him. “I’m here for Cas.”

Dean picked his head up and looked over at his friend. Cas was halfway to sitting, looking back and forth between him and Lydia.

“C’mon,” she prodded, sending a pouty look towards Cas, “Who can say ‘no’ to a set like this, huh?”

Dean watched her cradle her breasts, her fingers tracing lightly over her nipples, clearly trying to entice Cas to come back to the ritual. Castiel seemed uncertain for a moment, but after a beat he pushed himself up off the sea floor and allowed her to slide her arms around his neck.

“You’re right,” Cas placated, “no one can resist those.”

Dean’s jaw dropped as he heard Cas talking the way Dean used to talk… telling the mermaids what they wanted to hear… playing the game.

“Only thing is,” added Cas, turning to look at Dean as he said it, “I owe my buddy a threesome. So, it’s both of us or neither.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is not abandoned. The next chapter will be up soon, hopefully shortly after the July 4th holiday weekend.

**Author's Note:**

> There is a companion piece for this work, a collection of illustrations and pictures. You can access this by clicking on the series link below. With each new chapter, I will add to both works.
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://rachwill.tumblr.com//)
> 
> Also: please consider leaving feedback via the comments. That's the only time I get email that I actually WANT to read!


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